There’s nothing worse than a weak cargo e-bike that struggles on hills and under heavy loads. That’s why Heybike ensured the deck was stacked in riders’ favor when they built the Heybike Hauler electric cargo bike. With a 1,400W peak-rated motor and 28 mph speeds, it sounded ready to rock n’ roll. And now that I’ve been testing one out for a while, here are my thoughts on the latest budget-oriented yet high-power family e-bike.
Want to see what it’s like to ride one of these e-bikes yourself? I’ve got a video review below. Or keep reading for the full written review.
Heybike Hauler Video Review
Heybike Hauler Tech Specs
Motor: 750W continuous (1,400W peak) rear geared hub motor
Top speed: 45 km/h (28 mph)
Range: Claimed up to 136 km (85 mi) with second battery
Battery: 48V 18Ah (864Wh) battery in down tube and optional 48V 12.5Ah external battery for 1,464Wh total
Brakes: FastAce hydraulic two-piston disc brakes on 180 mm rotors
Max load: 200 kg (440 lb)
Bike weight: 40-44 kg (88-97 lb) with single or double battery option
Extras: LCD display, LED head & tail lights with turn signals, right-side thumb throttle, double (Y) kickstand, suspension fork, 3″ semi-fat tires, smartphone app connectivity, three color options (yellow, white, and blue), and included fenders & rear rack
Power and speed, whether you want it or not
As a Class 3-aspiring electric bike, the Heybike Hauler can reach speeds of up to 45 km/h (28 mph), though weirdly it can be done on both throttle and pedal assist. Normally, Class 3 e-bikes will have their throttles cut out at 20 mph, so this is a bit outside the scope of even a liberal interpretation of the three-class e-bike system. However, many people do like the ability to ride fast on throttle only, so I’m sure this will make a lot of people happy to hear.
The 1,400W motor also ensures riders are accelerating quickly and climbing hills like a champ, both of which are important to cargo e-bikes which can often be loaded down with extra weight.
Heybike claims a max load capacity of 440 lb (200 kg), which is a massive amount of weight and probably more than most people will ever need to carry. The bike itself is already between 88 to 97 lb (40-44 kg) depending on the variant, so we’re talking about some serious poundage here.
Two battery options for long-range riding
I love dual battery electric bikes, and even more than that, I love e-bikes that let you decide if you want that second battery.
The Heybike Hauler can come with either a single 864Wh battery, which is already a big pack, or you can get a second battery for a total of 1,464Wh of capacity.
That’s a ton of battery, and the company claims a range of up to 85 miles (136 km), though only in pedal assist. Even on throttle only, you’re likely going to get more than half of that, which is a lot of range for a big e-bike.
The Hauler comes loaded with several nice features, including foldup foot rails in the back and built-in side protectors so kids’ feet don’t wander into the rear wheel. I do wish the frame rails in the back were a little more exposed though so there were more options for lashing cargo down, but at least the guards look very nice and match the styling of the bike.
The paint is also weirdly high-end, especially for an e-bike that starts at a fairly budget price of just US $1,399. The blue paint looks like metal-flake automotive paint and is really eye-catching!
There are also other nice features, like a clearly visible LCD display, head light and tail light with turn signals (though I still wonder how effective such turn signals really are), a wide double kickstand for stable parking and child loading, a second side stand for quick parking on level ground, and punchy hydraulic disc brakes.
What isn’t as good?
There’s a lot to like here, but I’ve got my gripes as well. The front fork feels fairly cheap and just doesn’t offer the kind of quality suspension you get with even marginally better forks.
It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. It just is. It checks the box for a suspension fork and it means you won’t feel like your wrists are going to shatter after hopping a curb, but I have to wonder about longevity there.
Next, the bike doesn’t track very well without hands on the bars. That’s not going to be an issue to many people, but it is an indication that the geometry of the bike, namely the rake angle and trail of the front end, isn’t ideal. I can no-hands ride many of my other e-bikes for miles, but the Hauler wants to dip me off as soon as I release the bars.
Still some good value
This is definitely not the best cargo e-bike out there, but with an entry price of US $1,399, it was never trying to be. What the Hauler sets out to do is offer cargo-carrying abilities at a price that most families can more easily afford.
This is a solid entry in the market, provides some awesome high-speed throttle-only riding, and has some beautiful metal-flake paint options. There are other cargo e-bikes out there with wider market penetration that definitely give the hauler a run for its money, but the unique features of the Hauler like its folding running boards, smartphone app, and questionably-legal 28 mph throttle, could be the saving grace that keeps it competitive in the crowded market.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he gives remarks outside the West Wing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 8, 2025.
Kent Nishimura | Reuters
President Donald Trump is standing in his own way when it comes to passing crypto legislation.
Lawmakers this week rejected the GENIUS Act — a bill meant to establish federal rules for stablecoins — due in part to concerns that President Trump’s personal cryptocurrency ventures have created an unprecedented conflict of interest.
“Currently, people who wish to cultivate influence with the president can enrich him personally by buying cryptocurrency he owns or controls,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said in a statement to CNBC explaining his opposition to the bill. “This is a profoundly corrupt scheme. It endangers our national security and erodes public trust in government.”
Stablecoins are digital currencies that are pegged to the value of other assets, like the U.S. dollar.
Getting anything passed in Congress is a steep uphill battle for Republicans given their razor-thin majority in the House, filibuster-proof requirement in the Senate, and Democrats’ increasingly unified stance against President Trump’s agenda. But enough Democrats appeared to be on board with a stablecoin law to bring about a rare bipartisan win for the president.
That’s until $TRUMP got in the way.
The president’s meme coin, which he launched just before the inauguration in January, has added billions of dollars of paper worth to his coffers. Its value soared last month after the project ran a promotion offering top $TRUMP holders a dinner with the president and a “VIP White House tour.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called it a “pay-for-play scheme.” First Lady Melania Trump has a coin as well.
The GENIUS bill failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday. It needed 60 votes to move to the Senate floor for final passage. The final tally was 48 in favor and 49 against. Three senators didn’t vote.
Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro
Earlier in the week, Senate Democrats unveiled the “End Crypto Corruption Act,” spearheaded by Merkley and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, meant to prohibit elected officials and senior executive branch personnel and their families from issuing or endorsing digital assets.
But the key defections to the stablecoin legislation came last weekend, when a group of nine Senate Democrats — four of whom had previously voted for the bill in committee — said that they wouldn’t support it and called for stronger provisions to address “anti-money laundering, foreign issuers, and national security.”
‘Ongoing self-dealing’
Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware was one of the four. She pointed directly at Trump’s financial entanglements.
“I also remain concerned about the ongoing self-dealing and financial conflicts of interest being carried out by the Trump family,” she wrote in a statement on Thursday.
It’s not just about the $TRUMP and $MELANIA meme coins. There’s also the Trump family crypto venture World Liberty Financial, which was established last year and launched a stablecoin just as the administration pushed for looser regulations on digital assets.
Reports have indicated that Abu Dhabi-based MGX is using Trump’s stablecoin for a $2 billion investment in crypto exchange Binance, creating yet another potential conflict of interest for a sitting president.
For some investors and entrepreneurs in the crypto industry, the president’s pursuit of personal profits is creating a major impediment to long-awaited advancements. After years of setbacks during the Biden administration, the crypto lobby became a powerful force in funding Trump’s 2024 campaign and in successfully backing industry-friendly candidates for Congress.
“It’s unfortunate that personal business is getting in the way of good policy,” said Ryan Gilbert, founder of fintech venture fund Launchpad Capital. “I would hope that everybody in the administration, including the president, gets out of the way of good policy.”
The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment. At a press conference on Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, when asked about the meme coin dinner, that “the president is abiding by all conflict of interest laws.”
“The president is a successful businessman, and I think it’s one of the many reasons that people reelected him back to this office,” Leavitt said.
A number of top Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York have joined the parade of critics, targeting President Trump’s personal pursuits. Gillibrand helped introduce the GENIUS Act earlier this year, but she said this week that there are “a number of outstanding issues that needed to be addressed before the bill could pass the full Senate.”
“I believe it is essential to the future of the U.S. economy and to everyday Americans that we enact strict stablecoin regulations and consumer protections where none currently exist,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “I remain extremely confident and hopeful that very soon we can finish the job.”
Sen. Blumenthal called for an investigation into Trump-linked coins, demanding financial records from World Liberty Financial and slamming the president for “the attempted use of the White House to host competitions to prop up the value of $TRUMP.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, had supported the GENIUS Act but said he couldn’t move forward this week after Republicans declined to provide more time to negotiate.
“Without more time to at least finish the bill, there was no true bipartisan path forward,” he wrote on X.
Launchpad’s Gilbert said the GENIUS Act is just the first piece. More broadly, the president’s conflicts could have an impact on hopes for other legislative achievements and deregulation efforts as well as the reputation of the U.S. crypto industry on the world stage.
“We will be the laughing stocks of the world for this particular reason, and it will hold back continued investment and innovation,” Gilbert said. “There was hope for the past six months that that we could lead in the United States, and that investment should pour into crypto-related businesses, and then it will be simpler and doable again, for all companies to take a lead and to invest in crypto assets.”
However, he said, “if the GENIUS Act doesn’t pass, we’re back to square one.”
Volvo Cars has teased an all-new Volvo XC70 plug-in hybrid crossover with 400 hp and 200 km (approx. 125 miles) of all-electric range, giving it the longest battery-only range of any of the company’s plug-in hybrid offerings.
Built on the company’s new SMA platform for extended-range plug-in hybrids, the new XC70 resurrects an iconic name for the brand and represents an important product addition to the lineup and meet the growing demand for longer-range plug-in hybrids – especially in China, where the 2026 Volvo XC70 will be available for order later this year.
“The XC70 marks our strategic entry into the extended-range plug-in hybrid segment, a perfect bridge to full electrification,” says Håkan Samuelsson, president and returning chief executive of Volvo Cars. “[XC70] enables us to maintain and develop a balanced product portfolio, while offering a highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars. This is also an example of regionalization, where we adapt to the local market needs.”
Early reports indicate that the car shares a platform with the 400 hp Lynk & Co 08. It’s called the “CMA” in Lynk & Co speak, but the short version is 1.5L turbocharged engine and dual electric motors
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Volvo XC70 PHEV SUV unveiled in China
Volvo is a Chinese-Swedish car brand owned by the Geely Group. The Volvo XC70 is a new PHEV SUV with all-wheel drive, designed and developed in China for the Chinese market.
Up front, the XC70 features the same, shield-like closed grille as the brand’s newest all-electric models. It’s paired with an active grille shutter in the bumper that adjusts automatically opens and closes to to optimize for aerodynamics, cabin climate, and cooling – whatever is needed in the moment to maximize energy efficiency and, ultimately, driving range.
The trademark Volvo “Thor’s Hammer” headlight design has evolved into distinctive DRLs – the headlights on the XC70 are actually beneath those, and feature Matrix LED technology that adapts the headlights intelligently to road and traffic situations, helping to improve both visibility and safety without blinding everyone in your path.
Towards the rear, the vertical taillight design creates a modern look consistent with Volvo styling cues … styling cues, by the way, taken from the granddaddy of the entire XC line. The V70 Cross Country. Which, you know, is what “XC” is all about to begin with.
Volvo V 70 XC Cross Country
OG V 70 XC Cross Country; via Volvo Cars.
I mean, sure – the new XC70 isn’t boxy enough, but we all have to make sacrifices in the name of efficiency and ecology, right? And, frankly, if the new ES90 or EX90 models are any indication, XC70 drivers won’t be suffering too badly.
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Members of the US energy industry has committed to investing $100 billion over the next five years to build and buy American-made batteries for large, utility-scale deployments of battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Executives from the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and several utility company representatives said Tuesday that they were committed to a fivefold increase in active investments that could, according to the Association, lead to 100% American-made BESS projects – but that vision depends on both a streamlined permitting environment and predictable tax and trade policy, the ACP said.
Those fundamentals involve rapidly dropping battery costs with increasing density – and that efficiency improvement is coming with reliability, too, Hyundai joining Tesla (and others) in delivering batteries good for hundreds of thousands of miles of driving. The tension, of course, comes from the fact that most batteries, today, are made in Asia.
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Form Energy CEO Mateo Jaramillo says his company sources more than 80% of its battery content in the US and much of the rest from Europe and “non-China Asia.” And, while they’re working to re-shore even more, they remain exposed to heavily tariffed Chinese-made inputs.
Form eventually hopes to source raw iron from US mines in Michigan and Minnesota – and they’re not alone. Executives from other companies spoke up as well:
COVID-era disruptions across the global battery supply chain convinced Fluence that an energy storage market as robust as the United States’ needed a stronger domestic manufacturing base, Fluence Americas President John Zurancik said in the press briefing. The company’s U.S. investments are now bearing fruit as it expects to deliver its first U.S.-made lithium-iron-phosphate, or LFP, batteries this week for deployment later this year, he said.
Like Fluence, LG Energy Solution Vertech expects to significantly expand its U.S. manufacturing operations in 2025 and 2026. The South Korean battery powerhouse will adapt existing production lines at its Holland, Michigan, factory to deliver 16.5 GWh of stationary storage batteries this year and add 11 GWh of new capacity in 2026, its CEO said in a statement provided by ACP.
Even industry stalwarts like Wärtsilä have begun sourcing components for the container-based Quantum 3 BESS system we covered last summer from a geographically diverse set of suppliers, with manufacturing capacity across different regions of North America, Asia, and Europe. This should enable the company’s customers to take advantage of any local tax incentives while avoiding the kind of tariffs impacting global battery markets.
The ACP’s announcement adds about $85 billion to a set of “active investments” worth $10 billion to $15 billion, executives with the trade group said in a press briefing.
Electrek’s Take
250 MW Sierra Estrella BESS project in Avondale, AZ; via SRP.
Then there’s the rich people. Located in Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest storage project will feature a 5.2 GW solar PV plant coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS. You can check that out here, then let us know what you think of all these projects in the comments.