Lectric XPress e-bike launched as $999 torque sensor commuter electric bike
In what should no longer come as a surprise to anyone, Phoenix-based Lectric Ebikes has done it again. With today’s launch of the Lectric XPress, the maker of North America’s #1 best-selling electric bike just entered yet another e-bike category with a new model designed to crush the competition.
The Lectric XPress follows the best-selling Lectric XP 3.0 at the same price point, just $999, yet offers a full-size commuter tire alternative to the company’s hot-selling folding fat tire e-bike.
Riding on 27.5 x 2.1-inch urban tires, the bike sports several sought-after commuter features including a custom suspension fork, torque sensor, thru-axle front wheel, integrated front and rear lighting, color LCD screen, hydraulic disc brakes, 7-speed transmission, and an easily removable battery.
Interestingly, the bike has multiple options, and I’m not just talking about the choice between a step-over and a step-through variant. Riders can also choose their motor power and battery capacity.
The entry-level model features a 500W continuous-rated motor and a 500 Wh battery (48V 10.4 Ah) good for 45 miles (70 km). The upgraded model has a 750W continuous-rated motor and a 672 Wh battery (48V 14 Ah) good for 60 miles (100 km). Both e-bike models are certified to UL2849, which covers the entire e-bike system including the motor, battery, charger, and the bike’s electronics.
While the upgraded motor and battery model is priced higher at $1,299, it’s one heck of a deal during the pre-launch period now since Lectric includes a free spare battery in that package, meaning riders will get two 672 Wh batteries for over 120 miles (200 km) of range.
The 500W motor offers 55 Nm of torque, which is modest but not overly powerful. It’s likely more than sufficient for beachside cruising or commuting through flat cities. The 750W motor offers 85 Nm of torque, providing more “oomph” and increased hill-climbing ability. It’s also worth noting that the peak watt ratings for the two motors are substantially higher at 1,092W and 1,310W, respectively.
Both models top out at Class 3 speeds of 28 mph (45 km/h), use a trigger-style thumb throttle, and feature a torque sensor. That torque sensor pairs with Lectric’s proprietary PWR pedal-assist system to use a wattage-based setup providing a pedal assist output that most riders find much more comfortable than the typical, lurching and jerkier pedal assist found on most budget-minded electric bike models on the market.
The move into the urban commuter e-bike market follows Lectric’s past expansions into cargo e-bikes, adventure e-bikes, electric trikes, premium commuter e-bikes, and lightweight folding e-bikes, all at much lower prices than nearly any other company in the North American market.
It’s part of what has become the company’s modus operandi, summed up by Lectric’s co-founder and CEO Levi Conlow:
“The reason for our success is simple — if you build an e-bike with all the value and high quality that people want and offer it for a price that’s not a penny more than it needs to be, it will resonate with people and build lasting relationships.”
Electrek’s Take
Well, that’s it. There’s a new king of the budget-friendly commuter e-bikes in town. Sure, plenty of people already used the Lectric XP 3.0 as a commuter e-bike, but now the company has launched a dedicated commuter e-bike that likely better fills that role.
The Lectric XPress offers basically everything most value-oriented commuter riders want, and does it for an incredibly reasonable price. At just $999, getting a suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes, and torque sensor is an incredible deal. It’s so good that I’m willing to look past the decision to put a thumb throttle on the bike instead of the only correct choice: a half-twist throttle. The only other downside is that color options are a bit limited. The step-over only comes in black and the step-thru only comes in white. I’d have loved some more color options, but Lectric is already flirting with SKU proliferation as it is, so I understand the desire to limit color options for the sake of simplifying fulfillment.
To me, this basically replaces what the RadMission e-bike was designed to do several years ago: be a simple and effective metro-style commuter bike. Except that for the same price, Lectric is throwing a lot more features at us than Rad did. The downside is it weighs a good bit more than the RadMission, tipping the scales at 57 lb (26 kg), but most riders never pick their e-bikes up so the added weight may not put off too many people.
I would have liked to see racks and fenders included as standard equipment, but the RadMission didn’t include them either back in the day, and it even left the kickstand as an add-on. So by comparison, I guess we should be happy we get a kickstand this time.
One thing we definitely get is a lot more variation. The ability to upgrade to a more powerful motor is also an interesting add-on feature, letting flatland riders save a few hundred bucks while still giving hilly terrain riders the option for better climbing power and stronger acceleration. And a choice of battery capacity also lets riders decide whether it’s worth spending more to increase range, or saving money for the modest range of a 500 Wh battery pack.
All told, this looks incredibly promising. It’s not going to rival commuter e-bikes priced several times as much, but it’s not meant to. Lectric’s whole thing is giving riders e-bike models that do a lot for a little, and the Lectric XPress fits that play perfectly.
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On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
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he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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![Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/Kia-EV2-closest-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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