Velotric’s electric bikes stand out from all the other electric bike makers for more than just their eye-catching colors. Underneath that paint you’ll find a number of major differences. Everything from component selection, design choices, embedded technology, and a lot more helps to create a unique and high-performing electric bike that separates itself from the competition. Let’s take a closer look at the new Velotric Discover 2 to see just what goes into these premium e-bikes.
Velotric gets UL certification for the battery and bike
This is incredibly important because UL certification is the gold standard for e-bike safety these days. Not only does Velotric go directly to Underwriter Laboratories for the testing and certification, unlike others that often use third-party tests, but both the battery and the entire e-bike received separate testing and UL certifications. You can actually look it up and find their published UL certifications, which can’t be said for most e-bike companies.
The battery is certified to UL 2849 and the entire e-bike’s drive system is certified to UL 2271. That means the motor, controller, charger, electrical system, and battery pack are all UL-certified.
As more cities and states require UL certification for e-bikes to be legally sold, having this important level of testing already secured is a major advantage.
Proprietary drive system – investing where it matters
A lot of e-bike makers simply pull various components off a shelf and assemble them onto a frame selected from a catalog. Velotric is different.
The company builds its e-bikes using proprietary systems like the powertrain to ensure that it is the highest quality and offers the best performance possible. That’s not something you can get when simply selecting parts à la carte like many others.
Velotric has its own manufacturing team and has 42 utility patents and counting (plus more design patents and software copyrights), meaning they develop their own gear to ensure it all works together properly and provides the performance that riders demand. That’s a big part of the secret behind how Velotric’s Discover 2 and other e-bikes in its lineup can offer more torque and longer range compared to other electric bikes with the same specs.
It’s also an important aspect to ensure timely deliveries. By controlling its own supply chain, Velotric averages just 85 days total compared to the industry average of 150-180 days. That means you get better-designed e-bikes delivered more quickly! And with over 500 partner stores, those bikes show up where you can actually test ride them or return for support when you need it.
Bead welded frame that is hand-finished
When you see as many electric bike frames as we do each week, you notice the small details and differences that might slip by an untrained eye. Welding quality is one of them, and it’s an area where Velotric excels.
On the Discover 2’s own in-house designed frame, the Velotric team uses quality hand-finished bead welding for smooth and strong construction.
We’ve seen some shady weld jobs on other e-bikes, and we’ve even seen multiple e-bikes break in half under normal commuter usage. So Velotric’s assistance on quality welding on a purpose-designed frame is a major safety benefit that will ensure long-lasting, good-looking e-bikes that can withstand the test of time.
The attention to detail in quality manufacturing might also explain how they can offer a two-year warranty when many e-bike companies offer just half of that.
Included battery handle
This might sound like a small feature, but it makes a big difference. When you carry an e-bike battery around, having a convenient and secure handle is about more than comfort, it’s also a safety feature. Most e-bikes have bulky batteries without any good way to carry it other than gripping around the entire chunky battery shell. But the Velotric Discover 2 has a built in handle that folds away when you battery is installed but lifts up to give you a convenient way to carry it with just a few lazy fingers.
It’s another great example of taking the time to design and include small but important features that help differentiate the bike from others that haven’t been able to match Velotric’s attention to detail.
The Velotric Discover 2 is surprisingly waterproof!
This might sound strange, but you can actually toss the Velotric Discover 2 battery into a tub of water and it will be fine! The battery is IPX7 rated, which means it can withstand being submerged in over three feet of water!
In fact, the company demonstrated that feature by putting the battery in a washing machine for an entire cycle!
The rest of the bike is nearly as waterproof, carrying an IPX6 rating. That means you can pressure wash it without any issues.
If you read the fine print on most e-bikes, they explicitly warn against pressure washing and may even void your warranty if you use a pressure washer. But Velotric actually encourages it because the Discover 2 is designed to withstand high pressure water jets, making it easier to clean it after a dirty ride. And even if you never plan to pressure wash your e-bike, it sure does give us some nice peace of mind to know that getting caught in a rain storm won’t have any negative effects on the bike!
Peak performance that you can really feel
A lot of electric bikes claim to have 750W motors, but that’s often a “peak rating”, meaning the motor is actually more like a 500W motor that is capable of short bursts of 750W. But with the Velotric Discover 2, you’re getting a true 750W continuous-rated motor. That means the peak rating is actually much higher, allowing the motor to do bursts of power up to 1,100W. For anyone who enjoys strong acceleration or needs to climb big hills, that’s the kind of power you want!
And speaking of hill climbing, the 75Nm of torque found in the motor is a big part of flattening those hills. While many electric bikes struggle to climb steeper hills, the Velotric Discover 2’s torquey motor eats hills for breakfast.
Don’t believe me? Consider that the Discover 2 is rated to tow 880 lb (400 kg) of weight, showcasing just how powerful it truly is!
Tested tougher than necessary
Standard e-bike torture tests usually involve loading a bike with a certain amount of weight on a test machine and then running it for a certain number of miles. But Velotric prefers to exceed those standards so that they know the bike can truly last longer than the competition.
The standard ISO-4210 testing protocol provides a series of tests to confirm the safety and robustness of a bike, but Velotric doesn’t use the normal values for the test. Instead, they increase them to 150% of the test standards, turning the torture test into an even more torturous test.
While nearly every other company settles for the minimum standard, Velotric voluntarily raises the bar to test their e-bikes at 50% tougher conditions. Not only does it result in stronger bikes designed to handle anything thrown their way, but it also speaks to the company’s ethos, designing and building e-bikes that riders can trust to overcome the unexpected.
More PAS levels for more pedaling options
Having a torque sensor is a nice feature, and the Discover 2’s torque sensor provides comfortable, responsive, and natural feeling pedal assist for riders who enjoy feeling like they’re part of the pedaling experience. But Velotric goes beyond merely including a torque sensor, and has included an unprecedented 15 levels of PAS (pedal assist system) settings, meaning riders will have a lot more variation to choose from. It’s all right there on the brightly-lit color LCD screen, making it easy to choose your optimum assist level.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing and easy cruise along the beach or you want a fast workout ride that has you sweating by the end, you can find it in the Discover 2’s wide range of PAS levels. There are even other nice features like the included cruise control so you can set your desired speed and then forget about it!
Sure, it’s nice to have the throttle there for times when you just want to fly along without pedaling and quickly increase speed at a moment’s notice. But for the other times when an easy-going pedal ride is what you’re after, that torque sensor combined with the unprecedented 15 levels of pedal assist settings make the pedal experience so much nicer than any other commuter or recreational e-bike on the market.
Serious suspension designed with quality in mind
Quality suspension makes a major difference. If you’ve ever tested a budget bike with a loud, clickity-clackity front fork, you’ve experience cheap suspension. It doesn’t feel very good because it isn’t designed to truly absorb bumps and road vibration the way a true hydraulic suspension fork does.
The Velotric Discover 2 features a quality hydraulic suspension fork with 80 mm (over three inches) of travel. Whether you’re staring down a speed bump, pot hole, branch across the road, or any other obstacle in your path, this is the kind of suspension you want to actually protect your bike and body from the bruising bumps along the way.
Apple FindMy integration
In a perfect world, we’ve never need to worry about protecting our e-bikes from going missing. But until then, having a built-in tracking device is the best chance you’ll ever have of getting your e-bike back in a case of theft.
Apple’s FindMy technology is the leading low-cost tracking solution that uses a network of hundreds of millions of phones, computers, and other Apple products to wireless transmit AirTag tracker locations. Devices like the Velotric Discover 2, which have the hardware found in AirTags built into their own design, make use of that network to protect the device with constant tracking ability. We still recommend a good lock, but if your e-bike some how goes missing, the Apple FindMy technology included in Velotric’s e-bikes can show you or the police exactly where it’s now sitting.
Or, you know, you can also use it if you forget where you parked!
Attention to detail makes the difference
There is so much about an e-bike that impacts its ride and ownership experience. Power and speed are nice, but all the other little things truly affect how the bike feels, rides, and fits into your life.
Velotric obviously took the time to consider those important differences and design them into the Discover 2 and many of the company’s other new models of e-bikes. In the end, that makes a huge difference when comparison shopping between a field of electric bikes that all claim to offer similar speeds, power levels, and prices.
When it comes time to make a decision, the bikes that offer all the other features that improve longevity, comfort, safety, and security, those are the ones that truly stand out!
You can learn more at the company’s website and use the promo code electrekv1rv60 to get $60 off your new e-bike!
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No matter how badly a fleet wants to electrify their operations and take advantage of reduced fuel costs and TCO, the fact remains that there are substantial up-front obstacles to commercial EV adoption … or are there? We’ve got fleet financing expert Guy O’Brien here to help walk us through it on today’s fiscally responsible episode of Quick Charge!
This conversation was motivated by the recent uncertainty surrounding EVs and EV infrastructure at the Federal level, and how that turmoil is leading some to believe they should wait to electrify. The truth? There’s never been a better time to make the switch!
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
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Vermont’s EV adoption has surged by an impressive 41% over the past year, with nearly 18,000 EVs now registered statewide.
According to data from Drive Electric Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, 17,939 EVs were registered as of January 2025, increasing by 5,185 vehicles. Notably, over 12% of all new cars registered last year in Vermont had a plug. Additionally, used EVs are gaining popularity, accounting for about 15% of new EV registrations.
To put it in perspective, Vermont took six years to register its first 5,000 EVs – and the last 5,000 were added in just the previous year.
Rapid growth, expanding infrastructure
In just two years, Vermont has doubled its fleet of EVs, underscoring residents’ enthusiasm for electric driving. To support this surge, the state now boasts 459 public EV chargers, including 92 DC fast chargers.
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The EV mix in Vermont is leaning increasingly toward BEVs, which represent 60% of the state’s EV fleet. The remaining 40% consists of PHEVs, offering flexible fuel options for drivers.
Top EV models in Vermont
Vermont’s favorite EVs in late 2024 included the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV, Tesla Model Y, and the Ford F-150 Lightning. These vehicles have appealed to Vermont drivers looking for reliability, performance, and practical features that work well in Vermont’s climate.
Leading the US in reducing emissions
This strong adoption of EVs earned Vermont the top ranking from the Natural Resources Defense Council for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation in 2023. “It’s only getting easier for Vermonters to drive electric,” noted Michele Boomhower, Vermont’s Department of Transportation director. She emphasized the growing variety of EV models, including electric trucks and SUVs with essential features like all-wheel drive, crucial for Vermont’s climate and terrain.
Local dealerships boost EV accessibility
Nucar Automall, an auto dealer in St. Albans, is a great example of local support driving this trend. With help from Efficiency Vermont’s EV dealer incentives – receiving $25,000 through the EV Readiness Incentive program – it recently installed 15 EV chargers for new buyers and existing drivers to use.
“Having these chargers on the lot makes it easier for customers to see just how simple charging an EV can be,” said Ryan Ortiz, general manager at Nucar Automall. Ortiz also pointed out the growing affordability of EVs, thanks to more models becoming available and an increase in pre-owned EVs coming off leases.
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Elon Musk said Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing to the company’s profits… wait for it… “next year” with “millions of Tesla robotaxis in operation during the second half of the year.”
The claim has become a running joke, as he has made it for the last decade.
During Tesla’s conference call following the release of its Q1 2025 financial results, Musk updated shareholders about Tesla’s self-driving plans, which he again presented as critical to the company’s future.
He made a series of claims, mainly updating timelines about Tesla’s self-driving efforts.
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Here are the main comments:
The CEO reiterated that Tesla will launch its paid autonomous ride-sharing service in Austin in June.
He did clarify that the fleet will consist of Model Y vehicles and not the new Cybercab.
Musk also confirmed that Tesla is currently training a fleet specifically for Austin.
As we previously reported, this internal ride-hailing fleet operating in a geo-fenced with teleoperation assist is a big change from Tesla’s approach.
Musk said “10 to 20 vehicles” on day one.
Musk said that Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing positively to the company financially in the middle of next year, and “There will be millions of Teslas operating autonomously in the second half of next year.”
Musk has literally said something similar every year for the past decade and therefore, it’s hard to take him seriously.
The CEO claimed that Tesla would get “a 90-something percentage market share” in the autonomous market.
Musk again claimed that no one else is getting close to Tesla’s capacity, and he criticized Waymo for being too expensive.
Musk is “confident” that the first Model Y will drive itself from the factory to a customer’s home later this year.
The CEO said that he is confident that Tesla will deliver “unsupervised full self-driving” in consumer vehicles by the end of the year.
Despite Tesla missing earnings expectations by a wide margin, the company’s stock rose 4% in after-hours trading following Musk’s comments, indicating that shareholders still believe Musk’s self-driving predictions, despite his predictions having been incorrect for almost a decade.
Electrek’s Take
The first point I believe will happen. Tesla needs it to happen. It badly needs a win on the self-driving front.
However, as we previously explained, while Tesla will claim a win in June, it will be with a limited geo-fenced and teleoperation-assisted system that won’t scale to customer vehicles, which is what has been promised for years.
Tesla was even asked how it plans to launch this in Austin in June, when FSD in consumer vehicles currently requires frequent interventions from drivers, and Ashok, Tesla’s head of autonomous driving, admitted his team is currently focused on solving the intervention specifically related to driving in Austin.
With training on specific Austin routes and using teleoperations, Tesla can make that happen, but the road between that and unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles and “million of Tesla robotaxis” in the second of next year is a long one.
Basically, other than the first point, I believe Tesla will not achieve any of the other on anything close to the timelines announced by Musk today.
I’m willing to take bets on that.
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