Heybike Horizon review: Full-suspension 28 MPH fat-tire e-bike at just $1,499
Heybike has been around the block several times in the past few years, releasing a series of progressively more refined electric bike models. The company’s latest e-bike, the Heybike Horizon, has nailed the comfortable step-through fat tire design with a combination of performance and price that we rarely see.
Oh, and it looks pretty darn awesome too!
But of course there’s more here than just a beautiful sunset-colored paint job. To see what I mean, check out my video review below. Then keep scrolling for all of my detailed thoughts on this awesome e-bike.
Heybike Horizon Video Review
Heybike Horizon tech specs
- Motor: 750W (1,200W peak-rated) rear hub motor
- Top speed: 32 mph (51 km/h)
- Range: Up to 55 miles (88 km)
- Battery: 48V 14.4Ah (692 Wh)
- Weight: 79.4 lb (36 kg)
- Load capacity: 330 lb (150 kg)
- Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy
- Brakes: Dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes
- Extras: LCD display, front and rear LED lights, included rear rack and full fenders, front and rear suspension, folding frame, kickstand
More than meets the eye
The Heybike Horizon is more than just a pretty paint job, though that’s a good place to start. Just look at this thing, it’s beautiful! That red, orange, and yellow color scheme looks like a sunset melting its way across the sky. In a world of black and something-on-black bikes, this stands out in all the best ways.
But there’s more going on here under the paint. Yes, it’s a variation of a folding fat tire e-bike, of which we’ve seen countless others. But it’s also got a lot of other great features.
For example, this is an affordable full-suspension design that actually feels like decent suspension. Obviously it’s not high-end suspension, considering this is a fairly budget-oriented $1,499 electric bike. But it still feels quite good for general trail riding and off-road paths. I’ve tested other full-suspension fat tire electric bikes that were much stiffer and didn’t feel nearly as comfortable, so the Heybike Horizon definitely managed to stick the landing with decent suspension that doesn’t feel like it’s merely checking the “suspension” box.
If you want something that will absorb some real bumps for everyday riding, this will do it. If you’re looking for a downhill mountain bike or hitting sweet jumps, this ain’t it.
And of course there’s that folding feature, though I rarely find myself folding such large fat tire e-bikes. This is a nearly 80 lb bike, so even folded, it’s still a big boy.
That said, the handlebar folding mechanism is particularly useful for simply making the bike shorter. Loading it into the back of a van or SUV is easy with the bars folded down, even if you don’t fold the center mechanism – and perhaps is even better without folding the center since you can still roll the bike around like a normal bike with the center remaining unfolded.
I’d say that I do the handlebar fold way more often than the full fold.
I was also impressed with the disc brakes, which were actually quite grippy. Lately I’ve been noticing that some hydraulic disc brakes on budget e-bikes just aren’t as strong as they seem like they should be, perhaps due to cheaping-out on the brake compound in the brake pads. But the Heybike Horizon has crisp brakes that actually stop you quickly, so the bike gets full marks there.
And of course there’s the performance. The 1,200W peak rated motor is no slouch, offering plenty of power and up to 80Nm of torque for hill climbing. Hitting 28 mph (45 km/h) is definitely doable.
The advertised range of 55 miles (88 km), on the other hand, is not that easily reached – at least not by me. I tend to get a range of closer to half of that figure while I’m heavy on the throttle. Using pedal assist would of course lengthen that figure, but the pedal assist lag on this model is quite noticeable thanks to the cadence sensor. At $1,499 though, I just don’t expect Heybike to come out of the gate swinging with a torque sensor, as that’s a piece of kit usually found on more expensive e-bikes.
And while I’m complaining, I’ll also say that saddle wound up irritating me more than I expected. It just started to feel weirdly hard much earlier in rides than I’m used to. I’ve sat on just about every e-bike seat out there, and I’ve got what I can only describe as an agreeable butt – I’ll sit on anything and not complain.
And yet here I am saying that with a good amount of pedaling, the Heybike Horizon started to feel less and less comfortable on my tush over time. Of course a simple saddle swap is just about the easiest modification someone could do – and in fact is often the first customization many new e-bike owners make. So that’s an easy swap, if you find the saddle not to fit your tastes on longer rides.
But the rest of the components all feel appropriate for this level of bike. The included fenders and rear rack are always great to see, and the Heybike Horizon even spoils us with fancier than usual LED lighting complete with turn signals. As usual though, I’m not a huge fan of turn signals on bikes since they just aren’t spaced very far apart and thus can be hard to interpret, but I think they’re better than nothing and can work in a pinch when you can’t afford to take a hand off the bars to signal with your arms.
In conclusion
Let’s sum it all up here: the Heybike Horizon is what I’d call a great value offering in the folding full-suspension fat tire e-bike space. The 24″ fat tires combined with the full suspension design make for a very comfortable ride over uneven terrain – even if the saddle did tire me out on longer rides.
The power is plenty and the battery capacity is decent, matching industry standards in this category. At $1,499, I’d call this a great deal. And when you add in that awesome color scheme, I’m even more sold!
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The most powerful car Kia has ever made just got even better. Kia upgraded the EV6 GT, its electric sports car, giving it a stylish facelift and even more power. And it’s still one of the most affordable sports cars (gas or EV) you can get your hands on. The new EV6 GT launched in Korea on Tuesday, starting at just over $50,000.
Kia launches the upgraded EV6 GT in Korea
After revealing the EV6 GT in 2022, the company proclaimed it was the “Most powerful Kia production vehicle ever.”
Boasting 576 hp, the electric sports car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Kia put the EV6 GT up against Ferrari Roma and Lamborghini Huracan Evo to prove its prowess, beating both off the line.
Two years later, the electric sports car is already due for a refresh. Kia launched the new EV6 GT in Korea on Tuesday, starting at just over $50,000 (72.2 million won).
With improved front and rear electric motors, the upgraded Kia EV6 GT now packs up to 650 hp (478 kW) and 770 Nm torque when the launch control is active. Without it, the EV sports car still has a whopping 609 hp (448 kW) and 740 Nm max torque.
A Kia official said the upgraded model “will become a new standard that will change the paradigm of high-performance electric vehicles.”
The new standard for electric sports cars
The added power is good for a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/hr) acceleration in 3.5 seconds. With Kia’s 4th-gen bigger (84 kWh) battery pack, the new EV6 GT has a driving range of up to 220 miles (355 km).
It also gains faster charging speeds. The new EV6 GT can fast charge (10% to 80%) in under 18 minutes with a 350 kW charger.
The electric sports car gains more control and stability with an electronically controlled suspension (ECS) and electronic limited-slip differential (e-LSD) included as standard.
Kia improved the interior with its latest convenience and infotainment features. It also added an 8-way power function to its exclusive EV6 GT sports bucket seats. The new ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens is at the center.
Despite the improvements, Kia said it’s “freezing its sales price.” With incentives, the new EV6 GT starts at just over $50,00 (72.2 million won) in Korea.
In comparison, the Ferrari Roma starts at about $245,000, while a Lamborghini Huracan Evo will run you around $215,000. Even the 2025 Porsche Taycan GT Turbo has a starting price tag of $230,000. At $50,000, Kia’s new electric sports car is a steal.
For those in the US, don’t worry. Kia America introduced the updated EV6 last week at the LA Auto Show. The new model features a bigger battery, faster charging, and an NACS charging port to access Tesla Superchargers.
Thanks to a larger 84 kWh battery, the new EV6’s range is up to 319 miles. The GT model gets a slight performance upgrade, with 601 hp, 25 hp more than the previous model. Prices will be announced closer to launch, which is scheduled for the first half of 2025.
With the 2025 model arriving, Kia is offering massive discounts, with current models available to lease starting at just $159 per month. You can use our link to view offers on the 2024 Kia EV6 near you while models are still in stock.
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Environment
Elon Musk fires back on excluding Tesla from California’s new EV incentive he wants to kill
Elon Musk fired back at California Governor Gavin Newsom who said the state might exclude Tesla from a new EV incentive meant to replace the federal one Musk is trying to kill.
The knives are out.
As we previously reported, Trump’s transition team has already been strategizing about how to repeal the Inlfation Reduction Act and more specifically, the updated federal tax credit for electric vehicles.
Elon Musk is supporting the move even though he admitted that it would hurt EV sales in the US, including Tesla’s, but he believes long term it would help Tesla, which has a more competitive cost structure than other EV manufacturers who could fail without the credits – much like Tesla could have failed with them just a few years ago.
Recently, we even learn that Tesla, which lobbied to get the new federal tax credit, is also now lobbying for Trump to remove it.
Yesterday, we reported that California announced that if the federal tax credit does go away under Trump next year, it will step in with its own extra credit to compensate for it.
Governor Gavin Newsom has since elaborated on the proposal to add a market-share limitation criteria for EVs that would exclude Tesla, which has the most EV market shares in the market. The goal is reportedly to “create the market conditions for more of these car makers to take root.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk called the proposal “insane”:
Tesla is the only one making cars in California, so this move hurts jobs in California.
Tesla employs many people in California, especially at its Fremont factory in the Bay Area, but it also employs engineering and design teams in both southern and northern California.
It sounds like Musk, who is lobbying to remove the federal tax credit, believe that Tesla might have to cut jobs in California if this plan is executed.
Electrek’s Take
As you know if you have been following my commentary on Musk using and not using his influence on Trump to advance EVs in the US, I am really disappointed in him pushing to kill the federal tax credit.
It will undoubtedly slow down EV adoption in the US, which is already lagging behind the rest of the world, and it feels like Tesla is pulling the very useful ladder it itself used just as it doesn’t need it as much and other EV companies greatly need it.
That said, I’m not sure I agree with Newsom’s approach here. Before the Tesla exclusion was discussed, I actually tweeted this:
Since the goal is to replace the federal tax credit, I think it makes sense that California would exclude anyone company who is lobying against it, like Tesla, rather than just because of market shares. They are asking for it, after all.
I think it’s a better reason to exclude them than just: you guys already have too high market shares.
You want to slow EV adoption to gain a competitive advantage, then that’s what you get. Musk couldn’t complain about that without being a hypocrite – though that doesn’t seem to be a big concern for him these days.
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Environment
UCLA receives $20M to electrify bus fleet and deploy California’s first in-road EV charging system
The Events and Transportation Department at UCLA has secured a grant from the state of California totaling nearly $20 million. The funding will be used to transition the university’s bus fleet to 100% electric vehicles, expand service, and fund California’s first in-road EV charging system with the help of Electreon.
UCLA is one of the more prominent universities in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area and wields its presence in
California by promoting sustainable technologies. The school recently shared plans to electrify its entire campus transit service, BruinBus, in anticipation of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will take place around its home city.
Recently, UCLA announced the award of a grant that will help make its transition to electric buses possible. The grant will also enable the deployment of a wireless in-road EV charging program with Electreon—the first of its kind in California.
California’s first in-road EV charging is coming to UCLA
UCLA Events and Transportation shared details of the new grant from the California State Transportation Agency’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, totaling $19.85 million. The grant was awarded in collaboration with CALSTART — a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating clean transportation in California, wireless charging provider Electreon.
Currently, UCLA’s BruinBus routes connect students across residential neighborhoods, the Westwood Village commercial district, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, academic buildings, and other facilities around campus.
Per UCLA, the grant will expand its fleet of five all-electric buses and an all-electric passenger van by adding another eight EV buses. Additionally, Electreon will install inductive charging coils below the road along routes on Charles E. Young Drive between the Westwood Plaza intersection and Murphy Hall.
A first-of-its-kind in California, Electreon’s wireless EV charging technology (seen above) will enable electric passenger shuttles and heavy-duty buses to recharge while driving atop those routes. Electreon has already successfully deployed the same technology along routes in Detroit and recently announced an expansion of the services to support commercial delivery vehicles.
Additionally, UCLA will install static wireless charging spots at passenger pick-up and drop-off locations and transit depots, including a new transit hub between the UCLA bus depot and the planned UCLA/Westwood station. Per Clinton Bench, director of UCLA Fleet and Transit:
The new transit hub and extension will be a game-changer for connectivity in Westwood. It will make it easier for everyone to travel between UCLA and key destinations throughout Los Angeles, especially as the city prepares to host the Olympics, thereby fostering a more integrated and accessible urban landscape.
The electrified bus fleets and wireless EV charging areas are expected to be fully operational in California in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
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