Could these simple, secure e-bike charging stations be the solution America needs?
There’s no doubt that the issue of safely charging e-bikes is a growing topic of concern in the US. And while the media frenzy around relatively rare e-bike fires is often overblown, it doesn’t rule out a real risk associated with lithium-ion batteries. Now, a new charging solution designed in the US could provide an answer to the problem.
I recently stumbled upon these two different models of e-bike charging stations when visiting Austin, Texas-based electric bike maker MOD Bikes.
The company just released several new models of e-bikes and updated their entire lineup with impressive features like torque sensors, color displays, dual battery support, and more. I had the opportunity to try several of them and I’ll have some in-depth reviews coming soon. But as impressive as the new e-bikes are, I found another surprise lurking in a corner of the company’s warehouse: a pair of in-house designed e-bike charging stations.
The two patent-pending charging stations offer a pair of divergent yet equally easy-to-install options that solve the problem of safe, secure charging.
The first style of charging station is intended for fleet use by MOD Bikes’ customers. For cases like law enforcement, where several bikes all using the same charger type are operated as a fleet, the primary charging station essentially works like a multi-pronged charging pedestal.
The chargers are designed to match MOD Bikes’ batteries, but they could be built to work with any specific type of e-bike battery, even with voltages or connection styles different from those used by MOD Bikes.
I learned that Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas uses a fleet of e-bikes from MOD Bikes to get around the sprawling campus, including by the food staff for delivery catering all around the facility, and this type of charging station is intended to make it easy to charge such fleets of similar e-bikes.
But a second and perhaps more interesting charging station design offered much more versatility.
Designed for public use instead of by fleet operators, the second style of station includes a method to not only charge the bike, but also lock the charger and/or battery in the charging station.
It consists of a door with a latch that passes over the handle. Opening the hatch reveals a hollow space large enough to fit an e-bike charger and many different styles of e-bike batteries. There’s also a standard 120VAC electrical outlet in there, making this a BYOC (bring your own charger) type of affair.
To charge an e-bike, the rider’s own charger can be plugged into the outlet before closing the hatch door. As the latch slides over the handle, locking the bike to the pedestal will also lock the hatch closed, meaning no one can steal the charger. The charger’s wire can exit through a small gap, and the handle provides a secure location to lock the e-bike.
In cases where the rider wants to leave the battery but not the bike, such as overnight charging, the entire battery and charger can be placed in the unit and locked with a bike lock.
When I tested it, the pedestal was just large enough to barely fit the MOD Bikes charger and battery, though the company explained that they can build them to any size in order to accommodate larger batteries and chargers.
This would be an ideal solution for riders who don’t want to risk their bike sitting outside all night as an enticing target to bike thieves, but who also aren’t allowed to bring their battery indoors for charging, such as at many campuses and other areas now passing charging restrictions related to e-bikes.
Both of these solutions require a very small footprint, roughly 1 square foot of space for installation, yet provide a huge service for those who don’t have access to charging at either the ground level or in their homes and apartments.
Such public charging areas have long been the norm in China, where e-bikes are a much more common daily commuting vehicle than in the US.
These MOD Bikes designs adopt the same utility as Chinese models, but with increased security required in most American cities (in China, people usually just leave their chargers sitting on or next to their e-bikes and no one steals them).
MOD Bikes is currently looking for partners who want to run pilot programs to install the charging stations, either for fleet use or public charging. The company is able to produce them to fit various clients’ needs, with different charging voltages and connectors customized for various e-bikes.
Electrek’s Take
I think we are still in the early days of e-bike adoption in the US, and so charging is still being figured out in real-time. But in Asia and other countries with large e-bike adoption rates, public charging stations for e-bike batteries are already normal.
Just the other day I was walking through Dizengoff Center, a mall in Central Tel Aviv, when I spotted e-bike charging lockers that allow riders to deposit and charge their e-bike battery while they shop (seen below). It’s a different style, and also intended to be locked by a user-generated combination instead of using a bike lock, but it accomplishes the same goal of offering a safe charging location for the public.
I could see MOD Bikes’ solution being a simpler and more robust alternative for widescale parking, locking, and charging solutions as an all-in-one offering.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a decade from now, these charging and locking pedestals are commonplace in US cities.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
The Luxury Raffle
- Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
- Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
- Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
- Ticket price: $250.
- Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
- Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
- Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
- Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
- Ticket price: $100.
- Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek before December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024