How professional thieves stole $1 million worth of unreleased e-bikes in seven minutes
When my high-end electric bike was stolen last year, the intense combination of feelings ranging from violation to anger was hard to describe. But that is nothing compared to what one innovative electric bike maker is going through after $1M worth of unreleased new e-bikes was stolen in one fell swoop.
Biktrix, the Canadian e-bike maker behind several impressively designed, high-power models, shared the devastating news that a container of new Juggernaut FS ST e-bikes was stolen from the company’s Delta, BC warehouse. There were also several prototype models Biktrix is developing for release next year in the container.
It’s a huge setback for Biktrix, which has grown from humble beginnings a decade ago as a garage startup into a major e-bike maker with a 20,000-strong customer base.
The new Juggernaut FS ST e-bike model was recently announced, with Biktrix preparing to begin shipments to fulfill pre-orders. This was the first batch of these new e-bikes produced.
Unlike many white-labeled electric bikes that use a combination of à la carte components and frames chosen from a catalog of OEM parts, the Juggernaut FS ST is Biktrix’s own in-house design. It also features a unique frame with a hidden rear shock assembly, making it easy to identify.
The bike includes a powerful mid-drive motor that puts out 1,200 watts of power, as well as an industry-leading 1,300 Wh battery. That’s roughly twice the size of the average e-bike battery on most models these days.
With a combination cadence and torque sensor for pedal assist as well as throttle control, it’s quite unique among today’s high-powered full-suspension e-bikes, especially for an easy-to-mount step-through e-bike.
Its eye-catching design should make the bike easily identifiable. To further help identify the bikes, should they make it onto the secondary market, Biktrix shared that they include serial numbers in the range from BK2CE30001 to BK2CE30140.
Biktrix also shared security footage showing the suspected thieves arriving at the warehouse with a Ryder semi-truck used to pull the container. The container appears to have been mounted on a container chassis, likely from its recent delivery at the warehouse. The thieves broke the lock securing the container chassis, connected it to the semi-truck, and drove off into the night with one million dollars worth of unreleased new e-bikes in tow. They were on site for just seven minutes.
What likely would have been a fairly simple case for the police in a country with stronger public surveillance turned out to be a nightmare for Biktrix. The company discovered after talking to police that traffic cameras in Canada don’t actually record video unless a car is speeding or runs a red light. The company also provided the license plate number of the thieves, but the police could legally only surveil them for two days. As the company’s CEO explained, the vehicle didn’t go near the bikes in those two days, and so the police had to end the surveillance and effectively release the thieves.
“This container wasn’t just metal and contents, this container was like a treasure chest of our dreams, our entire team’s hard work, and considerable market value worth $1M—comprising all of our savings,” explained Biktrix Founder and CEO Roshan Thomas.
The container was insured with a standard ship to shore policy, commonplace in the ocean freight industry. However, the container had already reached Biktrix’s receiving warehouse, meaning it would typically no longer be covered under the policy.
While it is looking increasingly unlikely, the company hopes that the Canadian police will be able to locate the container before the bikes are lost. They also urge anyone who sees the container or the Juggernaut FS ST bikes to contact their local authorities. These are the only Juggernaut FS ST bikes in North America.
In the meantime, Thomas and the rest of the company are trying to keep their spirits up, explaining “We’re determined not to let this set us back. Instead, we’re using it as fuel to push harder, innovate more, and keep believing in what we do.”
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BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.
The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.
The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.
But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.
The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.
There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.
BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.
With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.
Electrek’s Take
I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.
Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.
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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.
Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!
I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!
Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.
To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.
Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!
Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.
The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.
The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!
I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.
That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.
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