Swytch, makers of the self-proclaimed “most affordable” electric bike conversion kits out there, announced its newest model this morning. The UK-based company’s new Swytch GO kit comes with a super low pre-order price of just £299 (or US $349 for North American customers), though there’s a bit of a catch.
The catch is that’s the pre-order price if you don’t mind joining a waitlist, or you can pony up twice that figure for an immediate purchase.
Swytch has previously been overwhelmed by demand when the company has released past versions, and so this might be a way to smooth out production curves and moderate all of the immediate demand they see when launching new models.
One of the reasons Swytch has been so popular during past releases is that ultra-affordable entry price, though the sleek design and ease of installation surely don’t hurt sales either. With over 85,000 Swytch kits already on the road, according to the company, DIY electric bike conversions still seem as popular as ever.
As Swytch’s CEO Oliver Montague commented:
“This is an exciting time for Swytch. Consumers are looking for more affordable and sustainable transport options, and the Swytch GO Kit is the ideal solution. Installation has also never been easier, so anyone can enjoy the benefits that electric bikes have to offer.”
With the new Swytch GO kit announced this morning, the 250W front motor remains unchanged from previous versions of the kit, but a new velcro-mounting GO battery has been added, offering more mounting options.
The previous Air battery, which is still available as an alternative option to the GO battery, was mounted directly to the handlebars. With the GO battery, riders can now mount the battery inside of the front triangle. The increased mountain options make it easier to fit the kit on different styles of bikes.
Additionally, the GO battery comes in three versions of GO, GO+, and GO++, offering anywhere from 15 to 60 miles (25-100 km) of pedal-assist range. The Air battery was famous for being small enough to just about be carried in a rider’s pocket, though the GO batteries are still quite small and can easily be tucked in a bag to avoid being left on the bike in theft-prone areas.
Weighing between 2-2.6 kg (4.5-5.7 lb) depending on the model, the GO batteries are fairly lightweight and easy to handle. They’re also IPX6 rated to withstand all-weather riding, and are certified to UL standards for safety.
With just 250W of power from that front hub motor, the Swytch GO kit is designed for cycling-ready commuters who are already comfortable with pedal assist. However, throttle-loving riders will be happy to know that an optional hand throttle is offered as an accessory. It can be added to the kit (where allowed by law) to offer throttle riding with power on demand that doesn’t require pedaling to initiate.
It’s all part of Swytch’s efforts to continually update the technology and the practicality of their kits, as the company’s CTO Dmitro Khroma explained:
“Our company mission is to make e-bikes accessible to everyone. So in reaction to consumer economic pressures, we wanted to bring down the entry-level price point for customers to pre- order a Swytch kit to just £299, but without compromising on quality, performance, or the safety of our batteries. These quality and safety features include ensuring that the battery is water-resistant, impact-resistant, and shock-resistant, and has been thoroughly tested to the highest standards so they are safe to use and recharge at home.
By redesigning the battery pack with a larger form factor, embedding the power electronics inside the pack together with the battery, and designing a super-simple mounting solution that uses Velcro straps to strap the battery pack anywhere on the bike, we managed to bring down the price significantly. Plus, as an added bonus, the result was an e-bike kit that is even easier and faster to install, and with increased range of up to 60 miles.”
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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 got a raft of upgrades and sporty, rally-focused XRT trim level for 2025 – but the biggest upgrade for the Made in America Hyundai might be this: the 5 has regained eligibility for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit!
Despite being assembled at Hyundai’s Georgia meta plant for the last four month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 was nowhere to be found on the EPA’s list of rebate-eligible vehicles. But that was then – with a fresh updated to the list coming online May 1st, Hyundai’s new-age electric hot hatch is back in the rebate game.
As if to celebrate, Hyundai announced that it was taking on the celebrate One Lap of America road rayy and race event in a factory collaboration with the track-focused enthusiasts at Grassroots Motorsports this week with One Lap veterans Andy Hollis and Tom Suddard campaigning a stock, 601 hp 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N in the Alternative Fuels class.
“After winning our class in a gutted, caged race car last year, we wanted to compete in the best-of-all worlds this year: A vehicle that’s incredibly fast, incredibly comfortable on a road trip, and incredibly capable on a racetrack,” explains Suddard. “Electrification means it’s finally possible to have huge power without huge compromises in a street car, and the IONIQ 5 N promises to pair that huge power with the durability and capability to survive a week of racing.”
One Lap is widely regarded as one of the toughest street-legal motorsports events in the world, pitting amateur and professional drivers alike compete in stock and heavily modified vehicles of every description, battling it out in a series of scored challenges, including timed events at road courses, drag strips, skid pads, and autocross courses.
In between tracks, competitors safely travel thousands of miles around the country, proving the mettle and durability of the vehicles and the teams that drive them. This year, 86 teams from all over the country will compete in 17 scored events over the course of eight days at tracks like Virginia International Raceway and NCM Motorsports Park.
The Tire Rack One Lap of America is currently underway – you can track the Hyundai’s progress here, then let us know what you think of this new tax development in the comments.
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With the launch of the first-ever Class 8 vocational EV in the North American market, PACCAR Kenworth is raising the battery-electric bar and underscoring just how far the market has come since the Tesla Semi made its debut nearly a decade ago.
When Tesla pulled the wraps off its all electric Semi truck all the way back in November of 2017, the rest of the industry was hardly thinking about BEVs. Nearly a decade later, the world is still waiting for the Semi to begin regular production, and PACCAR is launching its second generation of HDEVs with the debut of this, the all-new Kenworth T880E vocational truck.
“The Kenworth T880E marks a groundbreaking milestone in Kenworth’s history as we bring to market the first Class 8 battery-electric solution built for vocational applications,” explains Kevin Haygood, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “The T880E is engineered to meet the evolving needs of operators and vocational fleets while still providing the durability, reliability and customization our customers expect.”
The new electric K-whopper is motivated by PACCAR’s in-house ePowertrain platform, capable of putting up to 605 hp and 1,850 lb-ft of peak torque to work, while delivering the same levels of drivability and dependability fleets expect from a Kenworth – but power and torque are only part of the T880E’s work-ready résumé.
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Open to work
Kenworth T880E; via PACCAR.
In addition to a stout, Class 8 electric chassis fitted with heavy-duty Kenworth brakes and axles, the T880E’s central drive eMotor allows for significant wheelbase flexibility so fleet buyers can spec out exactly the machine they need to get the job done. The T880E was also designed to enable lift axle installations from trusted Kenworth upfitters for a vocational-friendly BEV integration.
Additionally, the T880E features a wide selection of factory-installed options that include both high- and low-voltage ePTO (electric Power Take Off) ports, mechanical ePTOs, and the same wide array of body configurations as the ICE version.
Speaking of the ICE version, the electric T880E also can also be had in the same set-back front axle and set-forward front axle configurations with the same multi-piece hood construction. Inside the cab, the latest in driver-focused technology includes the Kenworth SmartWheel and a new 15″ DriverConnect digital touchscreen. Dash and vocational features like RAM Mounts and factory-installed PTO switches are available. The T880E is also offered with Kenworth ADAS packages for customers interested in DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion, and Lane Keeping Assist.
It’s so big, you guys
Kenworth T880E; photo by the author.
The T880E was on static display at last week’s ACT Expo in Anaheim, California. Check with your local Kenworth dealer for availability.
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The tire-blistering SU7 Ultra has been the Xiaomi brand’s flagship super sedan since its launch, but a controversial software setting has limited the car to “just” 900 hp in regular driving – resulting in an outcry from owners who ponied up for the big boy numbers. With its latest software update, that missing 648 hp is back on tap!
The SU7 Ultra made waves throughout the performance car world when a bright yellow striped example lined up alongside a white quarter mile king, the 1,000+ hp Tesla Model S Plaid, and promptly smoked it.
That wasn’t all. A preproduction SU7 Ultra prototype lapped the legendary Nürburgring circuit in just 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, firmly stamping the 1,500+ hp Xiaomi’s alphanumeric into the track’s record books with a time nearly fifteen seconds quicker than a Rimac Nevera or, on the ICE front, either a Corvette ZR1, Viper ACR, or Porsche 918 (take your pick).
It’s hardly any wonder, then, that the customers who signed up – in droves, too – were disappointed to learn that the SU7 they were allowed to buy had been neutered by the safety nannies to the tune of nearly 650 hp. (!)
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We’re so back
The outrage from SU7 Ultra owners was immediate. And, facing mounting pressure online and on social media, Xiaomi ultimately decided to withdraw the performance-limiting features while acknowledging the need for more transparent communication about future software updates they messed up, saying in a statement, “we appreciate the passionate feedback from our community and will ensure better transparency moving forward.”
So, rich people can rocket themselves down the road in 9 second hypercars again and all is right with the world. A happy ending – but one that sort of illuminates a fresh set challenges for automakers peddling “software-defined vehicles” to a market that still thinks of their cars as very much hardware defined products.
The new reality is playing out in real time now, and the Jeff Bezos-backed $20,000 electric compact pickup from Slate Auto is going the other way entirely – time will tell whether more, or less tech is the answer.
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