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When Ride1Up launched the Prodigy V2, they kept all the parts that made this Brose-powered mid-drive great and added even more components (like a Gates belt drive system!) to make this e-bike one of the best deals in mid-drive electric bicycles.

Sure, it’s not going to kick a Specialized’s tail, but it’s going to get you surprisingly close for around half the cash, and that’s impressive!

Though perhaps it shouldn’t come as a total surprise, as that’s been Ride1Up’s game plan for as long as I’ve been riding their bikes – which is roughly as long as they’ve been making bikes. The company has always sought to provide most of what you can get from higher-priced electric bike models, yet at a much more affordable price.

When it comes to the Ride1Ip Prodigy V2, I’d say they’ve just about nailed it. Don’t believe me? Watch my testing video below to see it in action!

Ride1Up Prodigy V2 video review

Ride1Up Prodigy V2 tech specs

  • Motor: Brose TF Sprinter mid-drive (90 Nm of torque)
  • Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
  • Range: 30-50 miles (50-80 km)
  • Battery: 36V 14Ah (504Wh)
  • Weight: 58 lb (26.3 kg)
  • Load capacity: 300 lb (136 kg)
  • Frame: Aluminum alloy
  • Brakes: Tektro quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes
  • Extras: Brose color display, front and rear LED lights, included high-quality rack and fenders, 100mm air suspension fork, Maxxis tires, kickstand
ride1up prodigy v2 electric bike

Even better than before!

Ride1Up describes the Prodigy V2 as “The successor to the industry-disrupting Prodigy mid-drive e-bike,” and that’s pretty darn accurate. The original Prodigy entered the market as a disruptor by offering the same mid-drive motor and several of the same level components seen on much pricier bike shop e-bikes. Now the second generation of the Prodigy is here to do the same thing again, just better.

And now there are actually two versions of the Ride1Up Prodigy V2. The main difference is the drivetrain, with the $2,395 version featuring a microShift Advent 9-speed chain drive and the $2,695 version including a Gates Carbon Drive and Eniovlo hub to create a belt-drive CVT drivetrain.

Both are available in a step-over or a step-through. I tested the belt drive in a step-over frame, which is known as the LX model.

This is probably more bike than most Ride1Up customers are used to, especially since the price tag is twice what most of Ride1Up’s models cost. But then again, it’s half the price of the bikes it is actually competing against, and that’s the real message here.

With a Brose TF Sprinter motor that features 90 Nm of torque and a built-in torque sensor, you’re getting a powerful motor that not only climbs hills and accelerates quickly, but also pedals beautifully. That torque sensor creates a better feeling pedal assist – as if the bike isn’t actually electric but rather just an extension of your own pedaling.

Because I was on the belt drive version, the bike was also super smooth and and even quieter. There’s no chain noise or derailleur clicking. There’s just you and the wind rushing past your ears. The Enviolo CVT hub handles the shifting, though I find that the gear range is a bit wide, meaning I have to lift my hand off the shifter and take a new grip on it to shift the range from low to high. The good news is I’m almost never doing that, since I find that the upper half of the shifting range is all I really use. That lower range is probably good if you’re going to climb up the side of a mountain, but that’s not my typical riding.

The bike is also plenty fast, too. As a Class 3 e-bike, it can hit speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h), which is the maximum legal limit for e-bikes in most jurisdictions in the US. There’s no throttle, so you’re on your own to hit that 28 mph with your own feet guiding the way (or even 20 mph, if you leave it in Class 2 mode). But the bike is a pleasure to ride and so you’ll likely find that you don’t miss the throttle as much as you might think. At least, that’s exactly how I felt.

ride1up prodigy v2 electric bike

The 504 Wh battery isn’t particularly large, and I’d even say it’s a bit smaller than most batteries in the direct-to-consumer electric bike market right now. But then again, there’s no throttle here and so you’re going to be riding more efficiently anyway.

That means you’ll probably feel like you’ve got a 750 Wh battery instead, resulting in that impressive range rating of 30-50 miles. Of course, if you ride at 28 mph the entire time, you could dip below that figure. But it’s going to be hard to get less than 30 miles of range during most real-world scenarios. Folks that have enough self-control to leave it in lower power pedal assist will find that they get considerably more range, too.

ride1up prodigy v2 electric bike

Now, the bike did seem to get a bit heavier with this update. Compared to the V1 Prodigy, this new version gained between 8 to 11 pounds depending on the model.

The new 58 lb or 61 lb weights are a bit more portly than the original 50 lb semi-svelte offering from a couple years ago. That’s chunky, but not unmanageable. If you’ve been around the e-bike industry as much as many of us have, you’re used to a 60 lb e-bike.

And one other area that seemed weirdly lower-shelf to me was that the front axle uses a quick-release skewer axle, as opposed to a full thru-axle (which can also be sourced in quick-release, if folks want that style). Skewer axles are fine, but they’re not as robust as thru-axles. That’s why they are usually found on more budget-friendly bikes.

I would have expected to see a thru-axle like they had on the previous generation Prodigy XC. But alas, the quick-release skewer axle will have to suffice.

ride1up prodigy v2 electric bike

Axles aside, what really makes this bike standout isn’t just the Brose motor, Gates carbon drive, or even the CVT transmission. It’s all the other fine touches. That rear rack floats over the rear wheel and looks like it belongs on a bike shop quality bike – not a direct-to-consumer bike. It even has a slickly integrated tail light right in the rack’s deck, ensuring there’s one less thing to bash on a bike rack. The quad-piston disc brakes are punchy and quick to bring you to a silent, controlled stop. The 100 mm travel air fork is fun for off-road riding and will also help absorb any errant potholes you fail to shimmy around.

To sum it up, you’ve got a lot of bike for your money. That German-made motor isn’t cheap, and neither are the quad-piston disc brakes, the Enviolo CVT hub, nor the long travel air suspension fork. But you’re also not paying the property taxes of your local bike shop either, meaning you’re getting the benefits of direct-to-consumer pricing combined with higher-end kit.

To me, the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 feels like a major win. It’s more than many people will need, but for folks that want the higher performance and more natural feel of a quality mid-drive motor combined with higher-shelf bike components, this is probably the most affordable way to get there.

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Elon Musk haters vandalized dozens of Tesla Cybertrucks

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Elon Musk haters vandalized dozens of Tesla Cybertrucks

Elon Musk haters have vandalized dozens of Tesla Cybertrucks being held ahead of delivery at a parking lot in Florida.

As we previously reported, Tesla has briefly halted Cybertruck deliveries due to a problem with its windshield wiper motor.

This has resulted in Tesla accumulating Cybertruck held before delivery at many locations around the US.

Over the last few days, I have been sent half a dozen videos of people dumbfounded about finding parking lots filed with Cybertrucks.

When I received this one from the OnlyinDade account, I thought this was just another one of these videos, but there was more to it:

People who seemingly dislike Elon Musk have decided to vandalize dozens of Cybertrucks sitting in a newly leased parking lot in Fort Lauderdale.

It’s unclear if the ‘f*ck Elon’ graffiti is easily removable or if there’s actual damage to the vehicles.

Electrek’s Take

Without justifying this really dumb act, because there’s no justifying it, this is an example of “Elon is Tesla, and Tesla is Elon.”

Technically, all these vehicles are Tesla’s property – though they are already meant for customers, they just haven’t changed hands yet. It makes no sense to vandalize Tesla’s property because you dislike Elon, but a lot of people see Tesla, a publicly held company, as Elon and Elon as Tesla.

That’s partly Elon’s own doing.

Again, I’m not trying to justify this. It’s obviously the wrong thing to do and ultimately, it will just radicalize his fans even more.

But it does show that Elon is becoming an increasingly polarizing individual and it is problematic to have such a divisive person as the head of such an important company as Tesla.

How about we just don’t vandalize private property. That’s a good standpoint to build on.

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Nissan feels the heat from BYD’s EV price war in China

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Nissan feels the heat from BYD's EV price war in China

Nissan is the latest victim of BYD’s “liberation battle” against gas-powered cars. After BYD’s aggressive price cuts this year, Nissan is shutting down a factory in China as it struggles to keep up.

As is the case for many legacy automakers, China is a critical sales market for Nissan. Nearly a third of Nissan’s global sales and net profits are from China.

After slipping out of the top five automakers (by market share) in China in 2022, Nissan’s woes are worsening. Nissan’s sales fell 16% in China last year and the trend has continued into 2024.

Nissan’s sales fell another 2.8% last month, with 64,233 vehicles sold in China. The company cut guidance by 23% last year, with 800,000 vehicle sales expected in fiscal 2024. According to Nikkei, Nissan will do so with one less factory.

Nissan is closing the doors to its plant in Changzhou as the factory is building more cars than it can sell.

The facility accounts for about 8% of Nissan’s production capacity in China, with an annual capacity of around 130,000 units. According to the report, the plant shuts down on Friday.

Nissan-BYD's-EV
Nissan Ariya electric SUV (Source: Nissan)

Under its joint venture with China’s Dongfeng Motor, Nissan has eight plants in the region. Its total annual capacity is around 1.6 million, double Nissan’s projected sales figures for fiscal 2024.

Nissan shuts down China plant amid BYD’s EV price war

The plant shutdown comes as Nissan struggles to keep up in an increasingly competitive China EV market.

China’s largest automaker, BYD, kicked off a “liberation battle” against ICE vehicles earlier this year. The goal is to continue taking market share from gas-powered cars with lower-priced EVs. So far, it seems to be working.

Nissan-BYD's-EVs
BYD (Dolphin Mini) Seagull EV (Source: Nissan)

BYD has drastically cut prices while introducing lower-priced EV models. Its cheapest, the Seagull EV, starts under $10,000 (69,800 yuan).

BYD’s CEO, Wang Chaunfu, said EVs have entered “the knockout round” and that the next two years will be critical for automakers to catch up.

With lower-priced, more advanced models hitting the market, BYD sees joint venture brands (like Nissan’s) market share falling from around 40% to 10% in China.

Nissan isn’t the only legacy automaker feeling the heat. Japanese rivals Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Honda have also pulled back in China amid slumping sales.

Nissan-BYD's-EV
Nissan EV concepts (Source: Nissan)

Meanwhile, BYD looks to expand its global footprint after outgrowing China’s EV market. BYD is closing in on a deal for a plant in Mexico that would be among the biggest in the country. The company expects to sell 50,000 vehicles in Mexico this year.

BYD is also expanding on Nissan and Toyota’s home turf. According to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association, BYD accounted for over 20% of Japan’s EV imports in January.

With longer-range, lower-priced models rolling out, BYD’s momentum is expected to continue. China’s leading automaker is also expanding into new segments like pickups (check out the new Shark PHEV), mid-size electric SUVs, and luxury.

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Tesla Model 3 Long Range costs $3,200 more to finance than last week

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Tesla Model 3 Long Range costs ,200 more to finance than last week

Tesla scrapped promotional financing on the Model 3 Long Range this week after it became eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

As Electrek reported on June 17, Tesla and the IRS confirmed that the Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive is now eligible for the full tax credit. Today, Tesla is pricing the EV’s upfront purchase price at just $34,990 – $1,000 more than the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive – including the federal tax credit and an estimated five-year gas savings of $5,000.

The Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive still doesn’t qualify for the federal tax credit because it uses LFP battery cells from China.

The Model 3 Long Range is now listed at 6.39% APR on loans up to 72 months. The Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive continues to offer 1.99% APR for 36 months with a 60-month option at 2.99%.

Even though the Model 3 Long Range is now $7,500 cheaper, the higher interest rate is a bit of a party pooper, as it eats up potential savings. The folks at CarsDirect estimated that on a five-year loan, thanks to the 6.39% interest rate, the Model 3 Long Range has more of a $4,200 advantage than a $7,500 advantage.

If you’re eligible for the federal tax credit, the Model 3 Long Range is cheaper than before but costs around $3,200 more to finance through Tesla than last week. CarsDirect suggests comparing your options carefully if you’re shopping for a Model 3 Long Range. 

Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Model 3 in stock –affiliate link


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