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This past week, I attended the Micromobility Europe event in Amsterdam, where I saw many familiar company faces and several new ones in the broader micromobility world. One of the most fascinating new startups I saw at the show was Hydroride Europe AG, which showed off several hydrogen-powered bicycles and a small at-home hydrogen generator for “recharging” the bike by producing small bottles of hydrogen gas.

From a distance, the bikes don’t look much different than any other electric bike you’ve probably seen before.

And to be honest, they don’t even look that different from up close, either.

You’ll still spot a hub motor powering the wheel and what looks like a battery holder, either in the downtube or hidden in a rack-mounted unit. But when you turn the key and pop the “battery” lid, you’ll quickly realize it’s hiding a little green bottle instead of a blue shrink-wrapped battery.

Those little hydrogen tanks, around the size of a 500 mL water bottle, hold enough hydrogen for around 60 km or 36 miles of riding. They feed hydrogen into an on-board hydrogen fuel cell, which uses a chemical process to convert the hydrogen into electricity, with the only output being water.

That’s right, if the bottom of your bike wasn’t so filthy, you could probably put your lips up to it and drink.

My first ride on a hydrogen bike

After checking out the exhibit, I took one of the hydrogen bikes out for a test ride in the Amsterdam streets around the trade show.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it felt pretty much like…. any other European e-bike I’ve tried. The power was fine, modest but fine. The ride was comfortable. And it felt like a fairly conventional electric bike.

To be honest, I guess that’s the point. Hydrogen isn’t meant to be some revolutionary game changer for performance. At the end of the day, the motor is still a basic 250W e-bike hub motor. And thus, the ride feels like a basic 250W e-bike.

The main difference is where the energy is coming from. In this case, from a little white box that looks like a laser printer, yet is apparently an at-home hydrogen generator.

If anything, the most surprising thing about the ride itself was just how unsurprising it was. I didn’t really have to change anything about my riding since it’s still an electric bike, just not a battery electric bike.

E-bikes are already prolific. Why hydrogen?

It’s true, battery-powered electric bikes are everywhere. If there was ever going to be a hydrogen vs battery e-bike war, you’d think it would be over before it even began.

So why are we even still talking about hydrogen bikes? Well, there are still a few advantages over traditional e-bikes. Almost all electric bicycles these days use lithium-ion batteries, which usually require problematic or otherwise rare materials to produce. As much as battery makers have tried to limit the amount of such minerals, we’re often still beholden to suppliers from a handful of countries using sometimes unethical means to procure the necessary materials to produce these batteries.

Hydrogen, on the other hand, can be produced in your living room or kitchen using a small hydrogen generator. Heck, you can even buy one on Amazon if you want. It still requires electricity to power the electrolysis process, meaning you’re going to lose some energy along the way due to inefficiencies in the process. But just like how a wall charger doesn’t put 100% of the electricity that flows through it into your battery, there are always inefficiencies in energy transfers. And similarly to a wall charger for a battery e-bike, Hydroride’s electrolysis machine can be solar-powered, meaning you’re effectively using free energy from the sun to produce fuel. It’s literally a “just add water” process to generate your own fuel.

Once on the bike, the ride is as zero emissions as a battery-powered bicycle. Or, almost as zero emissions, as long as you don’t count the occasional drops of pure water produced by the hydrogen fuel cell on board the bike.

An at-home hydrogen gas generator

Who is this for?

It’s true, the company offers an at-home hydrogen generator and that means you could conceivably use a hydrogen bike like this as your daily rider. But as I learned at the booth, they’re more focused on B2B than B2C, with their main goal being bike and scooter sharing companies, not individual consumers like you and me.

And that makes more sense, in my opinion. Yes, I accept that hydrogen has unique advantages that batteries do not. But battery e-bikes have such a hold on the industry that I don’t see major changes coming there anytime soon.

But for sharing companies, those batteries are one of the biggest headaches of their industry. The single largest source of emissions for most scooter and bike-sharing services is the diesel-powered van that has to go around to swap batteries in these things. And so if you could fit larger hydrogen bottles on these bikes to give them more range (the small bottles already give scooters 100 km or 60 miles of range), or you could use local hydrogen generators for on-site bottle swaps, that could make a big impact.

It also removes the issue of charging hundreds of batteries at a storage depot and the resulting fire concerns related to those hundreds of batteries.

To be fair, a quick check of the periodic table reminds me that hydrogen isn’t exactly the most inert of the gases, either. But we’ve come a long way from the days of the Hindenburg and are pretty good about safely controlling the storage and transfer of hydrogen, especially in small water bottle-sized packages.

What’s my verdict?

To be honest, I used to think hydrogen was dead on arrival for e-bikes. And I still am not very bullish on it gaining much market share. But now I at least see that it has real potential for certain specific niches.

Sharing and other fleet usage seems to be the best use case, since I don’t see it taking off for average consumers. I definitely see the advantages of hydrogen for a pizza shop with a fleet of delivery e-bikes that doesn’t want to deal with a tabletop full of charging batteries, or for a scooter sharing operation that doesn’t want the logistical nightmare of hundreds or thousands of volatile batteries in their warehouse.

But let’s just say I don’t think I’ll be riding a hydrogen-powered Trek or Gazelle bike soon.

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

Lectric Ebikes appears to be preparing for a major new product launch, teasing what looks like the next evolution of its wildly popular folding fat tire electric bike. Based on the clues, it looks like a new Lectric XP 4 could be inbound.

In a social media post released over the weekend, the company shared a minimalist graphic reading “XP4” along with the message “Tune in 5.6.2025 9:30AM PT.” That date – this Tuesday – suggests we’re just hours away from the big reveal of the Lectric XP 4.

If true, this would mark the next generation of the most successful electric bike in the U.S. market. The current model, the Lectric XP 3.0, has become an icon of accessible, budget-friendly electric mobility. Starting at just $999, the XP 3.0 offers a foldable frame, fat tires, a 500W motor, a rear rack, lights, and hydraulic brakes – all packed into a highly shippable design that arrives fully assembled. It’s the kind of package that has helped Lectric claim the title of best-selling e-bike brand in the U.S. for several years in a row.

With the XP 3.0 still going strong, the teaser raises plenty of questions. Will the XP 4.0 be a modest update or a major leap forward? Could we see new features like torque-sensing pedal assist, a location tracking option, or upgraded performance? Or is Lectric preparing a more comfort-oriented variant, maybe even with upgraded suspension or even more accessories included standard?

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The teaser image, which features stylized stripes in grey, blue, and black, may hold some clues. One theory is that the colors represent new trim options or component upgrades. Another possibility is that Lectric is preparing multiple variants of the XP 4.0 – perhaps targeting commuters, adventurers, and off-road riders with purpose-built versions. We took the liberty of a bit of rampant speculation late last year, so perhaps that’s now worth a revisit.

At the same time though, Lectric’s penchant for launching new models at unbelievably affordable prices has never run up against such strong pricing headwinds as those posed by uncertainty in the current US-global trade war fueled by rapidly changing tariffs for imported goods.

lectric xp 3.0 hydraulic
Previous versions of the Lectric XP e-bike line have seen sky-high sales

Whatever the case, Lectric’s knack for surprising the industry with high-value, customer-focused e-bikes means expectations will be high. The brand has built a loyal following by delivering reliable performance at a price point that few can match, and any major update to the XP lineup is likely to ripple across the market.

As a young and energetic e-bike company, Lectric is also known for throwing impressive parties around the launch of new models. It looks like I may need to hop on a red-eye to Phoenix so I can see for myself – and so I can bring you all along, of course.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday at 9:30AM PT to see what Lectric has in store – and you can bet we’ll have all the details and first impressions as soon as they drop.

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

Logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S. crude oil futures fell more than 4% on Sunday, after OPEC+ agreed to surge production for a second month.

U.S. crude was down $2.49, or 4.27%, to $55.80 a barrel shortly after trading opened. Global benchmark Brent fell $2.39, or 3.9%, to $58.90 per barrel. Oil prices have fallen more than 20% this year.

The eight producers in the group, led by Saudi Arabia, agreed on Saturday to increase output by another 411,000 barrels per day in June. The decision comes a month after OPEC+ surprised the market by agreeing to surge production in May by the same amount.

The June production hike is nearly triple the 140,000 bpd that Goldman Sachs had originally forecast. OPEC+ is bringing more than 800,000 bpd of additional supply to the market over the course of two months.

Oil prices in April posted the biggest monthly loss since 2021, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have raised fears of a recession that will slow demand at the same time that OPEC+ is quickly increasing supply.

Oilfield service firms such as Baker Hughes and SLB are expecting investment in exploration and production to decline this year due to the weak price environment.

“The prospects of an oversupplied oil market, rising tariffs, uncertainty in Mexico and activity weakness in Saudi Arabia are collectively constraining international upstream spending levels,” Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call on April 25.

Oil majors Chevron and Exxon reported first-quarter earnings last week that fell compared to the same period in 2024 due to lower oil prices.

Goldman is forecasting that U.S. crude and Brent prices will average $59 and $63 per barrel, respectively, this year.

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

Electric vehicles’ share of the market continues to climb in America’s second city, with BEV registrations up more than 50% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period last year. Great news, but charging hasn’t up – but a new plan from Chicago Department of Transportation aims to build up enough infrastructure for the city to keep up.

In a bid to keep up with the rapid growth of EVs, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT is currently seeking public feedback on a plan called “Chicago Moves Electric Framework.” The city’s first such plan, it outlines initiatives that include a curbside charging pilot through the city’s utility, ComEd, and expanded charging access in key areas throughout the city.

Unlike other such plans, however, the new plan aims to focus on bringing electric vehicle charging to EIEC and low income communities, too.

“Through this framework, we are setting clear goals and identifying solutions that reflect the voices of our residents, communities, and regional partners,” said CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney. “By prioritizing equity and public input, we’re creating a roadmap for electric transportation that serves every neighborhood and helps drive down emissions across Chicago.”

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Neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Chicago experience a disproportionate amount of air pollution and diesel emissions, largely due to vehicle emissions according to CDOT. Despite that, most of Chicago’s public charging stations are clustered in higher-income areas while just 7.8% are in environmental justice neighborhoods that face higher environmental burdens.

“Too often, communities facing the greatest economic and transportation barriers also experience the most air pollution,” explains Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “By prioritizing investments in historically underserved areas and making clean transportation options more affordable and accessible, we can improve both mobility and public health.”

The Framework identifies other near-term policy objectives, as well – such as streamlining the EV charger installation process for businesses and residents and implementing “Low-Emission Zones” in areas disproportionately impacted by air pollution by limiting, or even restricting, access to conventional medium- and heavy-duty vehicles during peak hours.

The Chicago Moves Electric Framework includes the installation of Level 2 and DC fast charging stations in public locations such as libraries and Chicago’s Midway Airport, “supporting not only personal EVs but also electric taxis, ride-hail and commercial fleets.”

Chicago has a goal of installing 2,500 public passenger EV charging stations and electrifying the city’s entire municipal vehicle fleet by 2035.

Electrek’s Take

Chicago Drives Electric | ComEd Press Conference
ComEd press conference at Chicago Drives Electric, 2024; by the author.

I hate to sound like a bed-wetting liberal here, guys, but Chicago is getting EVs absolutely right with big utility incentives on both vehicles and infrastructure, a governor willing to stand behind smart environmental policy, and a solid push for more and better infrastructure in the areas where they’ll do the most good. They’re even thinking of the children.

Here’s hoping more cities follow suit.

SOURCE: ComEd, via Smart Cities Dive; featured image by EVgo.

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