Engwe E26 review: Testing out a budget-level 1,000W electric bike
I’ve tested several Engwe electric bikes by now, and each time I’ve come away with a solid feeling. The Engwe E26 continues that trend with a fairly priced ($1,199) electric bike that comes with a surprising amount of nice features for the price.
To see what it’s like to throw a leg over this e-bike, check out my review video below. Then keep reading for all of my thoughts!
Engwe E26 video review
Engwe E26 tech specs
- Motor: 1,000W peak-rated geared rear hub motor with 70 Nm of torque
- Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
- Range: Claimed 86 miles (140 km) on pedal assist, real-world range likely half of that
- Battery: 48V 16Ah (758 Wh)
- Weight: 74 lb (33.5 kg )
- Max load: 330 lb (150 kg)
- Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors
- Extras: 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, large LCD color display, LED headlight and tail light, thumb throttle, mag wheels, suspension seat post, removable battery, rear rack, fenders, kickstand
- Price: $1,199
More than you might expect
The basic design of the Engwe E26 is fairly similar to most other full-size fat tire electric bikes on the market. You’ve got your 26×4″ fat tires, your step-through or step-over frame options, a modest suspension fork, and included fenders with a rear rack.
But the power here is more than you might expect at this price. The 1,000W peak-rated motor provides 70 Nm of torque, which is to say, a lot. And cruising up to 28 mph (45 km/h) is always a welcome feature, especially since I like to ride on the road with cars and usually have nothing more than a thin strip of paint separating me and those 4,000 lb machines. Without a protected bike lane, going faster is actually safer since I can better keep up with the speed of traffic instead of getting passed as frequently.
There’s even a larger battery than you’re probably expecting. The standard for these bikes is usually 48V and 14Ah. Sometimes you’ll see a 15Ah battery. On the Engwe E26 though, you get a 16Ah battery. That’s 768 Wh of capacity, which is another welcome addition – especially at this fairly low price.
You probably won’t get the 80+ miles (130+ km) of range that they so optimistically claim, but you could easily get half of that if you’re putting in some good pedaling on your own. If you’re relying on the throttle for 100% of your power and just riding around like a motorbike, then slightly under 30 miles of range is a good bet.
“Nice to see” components
A lot of what you’ll find on the Engwe E26 is fairly standard. The 7-speed Shimano Tourney derailleur is basic. The rack and fenders, they’re fine but nothing fancy. It’s great to see the included front and rear LED lights, but again, fairly standard.
But in other places, you’ll actually find some great inclusions. For example, the hydraulic disc brakes are always a welcome sight, but they’re rarely found on bikes at this price. Installing them means Engwe is giving a more powerful braking solution that requires less maintenance – which is better for everyone.
The color LCD display is also quite nice, including big and easy-to-read digits and clearly displaying all the pertinent information. And while we’re on the handlebars, check out that bell! I’ve never seen an e-bike bell quite like this. In fact, it’s shaped like an actual bell. I’m talking, Liberty Bell without the crack kind of bell. This big ol’ bell has an equally big ol’ brass thumper and sounds great. I know it’s a small detail here, but I’m a sucker for a nice, well made and loud bicycle bell. Engwe nailed this better than plenty of $5,000 e-bikes out there, and you could buy four of these e-bikes for that price.
A note on “full suspension”
Engwe refers to this as a full-suspension electric bike, which isn’t exactly correct, at least not based on traditional nomenclature. This is a hard-tail e-bike, of which we’ve seen and tested many.
Where they pull that full-suspension moniker from is the inclusion of a suspension seat post.
I see what they’re saying. Basically, you’ve got suspension in the front from the fork and suspension in the rear from the seat. Sure, that’s fine. But the term “full suspension” generally means that the bike isn’t a hard-tail, which is to say that the rear wheel also has suspension. In this case, the Engwe E26 doesn’t have rear-wheel suspension. That makes it a hardtail, not a full-suspension e-bike.
Even so, it is nice to see the included seat post suspension, which does make a difference when riding off-road or hitting potholes. Just don’t go into this bike expecting true rear suspension.
Sum it up for me
The basic takeaway here is that the Engwe E26 gives you a lot of bike for your money. It feels well made, has plenty of power and battery capacity, is only moderately heavy (for a fat tire e-bike) at 74 pounds, and comes from a company that’s been around for several years.
I’m a big fan of several of the features like the suspension seat post, gorgeous bike bell, and the punchy hydraulic disc brakes. I even like that pretty turquoise color, though the yellow colorway option also has me intrigued. And then there’s plain old black for folks that don’t want to get exciting with their color choices.
At $1,199, this is a steal of a deal in my opinion. The bike works well, is fast and powerful, and won’t leave an unfairly sized hole in your wallet. That’s a score, in my opinion!
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Mammoth Solar, a 1.3 gigawatt (GW) solar farm in northern Indiana, is now powering into its biggest construction phase yet, cementing its place as one of the largest solar projects in the US.
The solar farm is set to increase Indiana’s solar capacity by more than 20% once it’s fully online. And with construction ramping up this month, developer Doral Renewables has given Bechtel Full Notice to Proceed on the design, engineering, and construction of three major phases of the project: Mammoth South, Mammoth Central I, and Mammoth Central II. Together, these phases will generate 900 MW of clean energy.
That’s enough electricity to power around 200,000 homes with clean energy, helping Indiana shift away from fossil fuels while boosting the local economy.
Construction is already underway, and over the next two years, Bechtel will install around 2 million solar panels, with about half of them made in the US. The company is also handling all engineering, procurement, and construction work, using its digital project management tools and autonomous tech to keep everything on track.
At the peak of the buildout, Mammoth Solar is expected to create over 1,200 jobs, with at least 15% of those set aside for apprenticeships.
Bechtel says its success will hinge on strong collaboration with local trades and vendors. The company is working closely with craft professionals and is committed to being a reliable community partner throughout construction.
Once the solar farm is complete in 2027, Doral Renewables plans to roll out agrivoltaics across the site. That means livestock grazing and crop cultivation will happen right alongside energy production, giving farmers in the area a way to keep working their land while supporting clean energy development.
Read more: Solar adds more new capacity to the US grid in 2024 than any energy source in 20 years
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BYD is about to launch an even smaller EV, but this one’s a little different. It’s BYD’s first kei car. You know, those tiny vehicles that dominate Japan’s city streets? BYD’s mini EV was just spotted out in public, giving us our first real look at the upcoming kei car.
BYD’s first mini EV was spotted in public
Last week, rumors surfaced that BYD was developing its first kei car, which would compete with top-selling models from Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, and other Japanese brands.
Kei cars, or “K-Car,” as they are sometimes called, are a class of ultra-compact vehicles that cannot be longer than 3.4 meters (134″). To put that into perspective, BYD’s smallest EV currently, the Seagull (called the Dolphin Mini overseas), is 3,780 mm (148.8″) long.
The mini vehicles are ideal in Japan because they are so small, making it easy to get around tight city streets. They are also more affordable and efficient than larger vehicles.
BYD’s mini EV was spotted for the first time during a road test this week by IT Home (via CarNewsChina), revealing a familiar look. It has that boxy, compact look of a typical kei car with sliding side doors.
According to reports, BYD is developing a new platform for the model. It will reportedly include a 20 kWh battery, good for 180 km (112 miles) WLTC range. By using its in-house Blade LFP batteries, BYD is expected to have a cost advantage.
BYD’s upcoming mini EV is expected to start at around 2.5 million yen, or about $18,000. That’s about the same as the Nissan Sakura (2.59 million yen), Japan’s best-selling EV last year.
既出ですがBYDの日本向けEV軽自動車と言われているフロントとリアからのスパイショット。 pic.twitter.com/CcV5pihpWc
— 主夫まぬか (@syufumanuka) May 16, 2025
Last year, around 1.55 million kei cars were sold in Japan, accounting for roughly 40% of new vehicle sales. Honda’s N-Box was the top-selling kei car (EV or gas) for the third straight year.
As Nikkei reported, some are already calling BYD’s electric kei car “a huge threat.” A Suzuki dealer said, “Young people do not have a negative view of BYD. It would be a huge threat if the company launches cheap models in Japan.”
BYD already sells several electric cars in Japan, including the Atto 3 SUV, Dolphin, and Seal. Last month, the company launched the new Sealion 7 midsize electric SUV, starting at 4.95 million yen ($34,500).
Although Japan isn’t really an EV hot spot, with sales falling 33% in 2024 to just under 60,000 units, BYD sees an opportunity.
By making virtually every car component in-house, including batteries, BYD can offer EVs at such low prices while still making a profit. BYD’s cheapest and best-selling electric car, the Seagull, starts at under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) in China.
With new smart driving and charging tech rolling out, BYD’s electric cars are getting smarter and even more efficient.
Can BYD’s mini EV compete with Japanese brands? At the right price, it may have a chance. Check back soon for more on the upcoming kei car. We’ll keep you up to date with the latest.
Source: Sina, CarNewsChina
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Ford’s electric pickup truck is back at the top. The F-150 Lightning is once again the best-selling electric pickup in the US after overtaking the Tesla Cybertruck in the first quarter.
Ford’s F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric pickup
After launching in 2023, Tesla’s Cybertruck quickly outpaced the Lightning to become America’s top-selling EV pickup last year.
Since Tesla doesn’t break down regional sales, registration data gives us our best estimate. The latest registration data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News) shows that the F-150 Lightning retook the title in March and the first quarter of 2025.
Ford’s electric pickup notched 2,598 registrations in March, topping the Tesla Cybertruck with 2,170. In the first quarter, the F-150 Lightning remained ahead with 7,913 registrations, compared to the Cybertruck’s 7,126.
Although the Cybertruck was the fifth top-selling EV in the US last year, it didn’t even crack the top ten in March. It placed ninth through the first three months of 2025, behind the Volkswagen ID.4.
While Tesla and Ford remained the leaders in the electric pickup market, several new models are gaining momentum. According to the most recent numbers from Cox Automotive, GM sold 2,383 Chevy Silverado EVs and 1,249 GMC Sierra EV models in Q1. Meanwhile, Rivian sold 1,727 R1Ts during the quarter.
Earlier today, Electrek reported that new models, including the Honda Prologue and Chevy Blazer EV, helped drive EV registrations up 20% in the US in March.
Although the Lightning reclaimed the crown from Tesla, Ford’s electric pickup isn’t exactly flying off the lot. Ford reported Lightning sales fell 16% to just 1,740 units in April. Through April 2025, Ford has sold 8,927 electric trucks, down 9% from the 9,833 it handed over last year.
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, Tesla is still ahead by a wide margin in the US. The S&P numbers show Tesla had over 51,000 registrations in March, up 1% after two months of lower YOY growth.
GM’s Chevy surpassed Ford to become the second-best-selling EV brand with nearly 8,500 registrations, an increase of 274% from last year. Ford dropped to third with 7,361 registrations.
Although it’s just one quarter, it’s starting to show how Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political antics are likely impacting sales. After the Cybertruck’s initial hype, it appears many buyers are opting for traditional pickups, like the F-150 Lighting.
Meanwhile, Ram is delaying its first electric pickup, the 1500 REV, again. Ram is pushing production back until summer 2027, saying it’s “extending the quality validation period.” The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ramcharger will also be delayed until the first quarter of 2026.
After pulling the Ramcharger ahead of the fully electric version last year, Stellantis blamed weak demand for EV pickups in the US.
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