Fast and heavy: Wallke H7 AWD pushes past the limits of electric bikes
There’s no denying how popular high-power electric bikes have become. And a quick way to get more power without having to go with a ridiculously large motor is to simply double up, putting one motor in each of a bike’s wheels. That’s what Wallke did with the Wallke H7 AWD, and the result is a fast e-bike that is as powerful as it is chunky – which is to say, very.
To see my testing of the Wallke H7 AWD, check out my video review below.
Or keep reading below the video for my full written review on this high power e-bike!
Wallke H7 AWD Video Review
Wallke H7 AWD tech specs
- Motor: Dual 1,000W continuous (1,600W peak) geared hub motors
- Top speed: 33 mph (53 km/h)
- Range: Unlisted (pretty darn far based on the massive battery)
- Battery: 48V 60 Ah (2,880 Wh)
- Weight: 130 lb (59 kg)
- Max load: Claimed 400 lb (181 kg)
- Brakes: Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes
- Extras: Large color LCD display, LED head/tail light, half-twist throttle, removable battery, padded rear rack, fenders, kickstand, and companion app
Purely and simply over the top for an e-bike
The Wallke H7 AWD is so overspec’d that in many jurisdictions, you wouldn’t even be able to call it an electric bicycle. This is more of an e-moped in the truest sense. In fact, the bike can reach speeds of up to 33 mph on throttle operation, no pedaling needed, meaning it truly is well outside of the 3-class electric bicycle system.
That may be an issue for some people, but it will be a selling point for others. Many riders want something they can ride fast without needing to pedal, but keep in mind that such a feature usually means you’ll have issues trying to pass this off a street-legal electric bicycle. If that matters or not in your jurisdiction is an important disticintion that you’ll want to look up. Some states are cracking down, while others don’t seem to care.
A big part of the crazy high speed in the Wallke H7 AWD is thanks to its dual motor design. The pair of 1,000W motors make a solid 2,000W of continuous power, and closer to 3,200W of peak power. That gets transferred through a set of 20×4.0″ fat tires and is enough to sling gravel in any direction you choose. Again, that’s some serious power that requires some serious responsibility, so the rider has been warned.
To back up that power is a commensurately large battery. The 48V 60Ah battery pack is still removable, but it’s one of the largest I’ve ever seen on a retail e-bike. They don’t publish a range figure, but based on my testing, reasonable throttle speeds should net riders at least 75 miles of range. Pedal assist can take the bike much farther, if you actually want to pedal a 130 lb e-bike.
How does it ride?
The Wallke H7 AWD rides decently well, but it’s a bit janky at top speed. There’s some weird flutter that I would get in the rear end at around 31-33 mph. I could never quite place it, as it’s a bit hard to feel around behind you at such speeds, but I think it’s likely either the rear fender or the kickstand. Either could be slightly resonating with vibrations or fluttering in the wind, but I can’t be sure it really is either. Suffice it to say that something was slightly dancing around for me at the top end.
The suspension is also welcome but not exactly top-notch either. Hitting bumps results in a symphony of sounds originating from the bike’s center, likely resulting from a combination of the battery, suspension, fender, and perhaps the kickstand. The suspension does help the ride, but this is a heavy bike, and you’re going to feel the bumps even with 4″ of air-filled rubber and a few springs underneath you.
I’ll also say that while the bike can be pedal-assisted, the gearing only makes it comfortable up to around 20 mph or so. I can reasonably pedal up to 25 mph, but any faster and I just can’t comfortably keep up – the gearing just isn’t high enough in top gear.
So while there are some issues like the ones I discussed above, there are some great features, too.
The color screen is quite attractive, and probably better than most would expect on a direct-to-consumer e-bike. The brakes are also very punchy, which is important for a fast and heavy e-bike. The quad-piston hydraulic disc brake loadout is a welcome addition.
The LED lights are quite good, and the headlight was sufficient for night riding, illuminating the bike lane in front of me so I could spot obstacles in my path. However, the headlight does vibrate a bit at higher speeds, meaning your lighted area can shake up and down a bit.
And then there’s the price. At the current sale price of US $2,199, this is a lot of bike for a fairly reasonable price. Remember, you’re getting an out-of-class moped here, more or less, so it’s hard to compare directly to most ‘normal’ electric bikes. But consider that you’re getting around 4x the amount of power and battery as a ‘normal’ e-bike, and the price isn’t all that much higher.
That being said, you can get nicer, more comfortable e-bikes for lower figures elsewhere. So the reason someone would buy the Wallke H7 AWD is pretty much for the power and the range, and not much else. In that regard, it delivers on what it promises. This bike will take you far and it will knock your socks off while doing it.
Just make sure you ride responsibly and where appropriate. Fast and powerful e-bikes are fun, but they aren’t for everyone and they aren’t for everywhere.
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Volkswagen is putting its Tesla Robotaxi rival through its paces in Wolfsburg, Germany, where the self-driving Gen.Urban research vehicle is now driving autonomously in real urban traffic – without a steering wheel or pedals!
VW’s Gen.Urban research project sets out to explore how passengers experience riding in a self-driving vehicle on real roads, among real drivers, and without a traditional steering wheel or pedals, and what those requirements might mean for future vehicle concepts.
Some of the key questions VW is asking include:
- How do people spend their time in a self-driving vehicle?
- Which digital features best support work, entertainment, or relaxation?
- How should interaction between the vehicle and passengers be designed, particularly for older people or children?
- Most importantly: Do people feel comfortable?
“The technology for autonomous driving is making rapid progress,” explains Dr. Nikolai Ardey, Head of Volkswagen Group Innovation. “With our Gen.Urban research vehicle, we want to understand exactly how passengers experience autonomous driving. Because: The key to a positive customer experience is to build trust – through meaningful interaction, a relaxed atmosphere, and intelligent assistance systems that respond precisely to the needs of passengers. Ultimately, technology should fit people, not the other way around. We will benefit from these insights across the entire Group in the long term.”
Not QUITE fully autonomous
It’s important to note here that, while Volkswagen designed the Gen.Urban without a steering wheel or pedals, the vehicles participating in these test have a trained safety driver monitoring the vehicle from the passenger seat, ready to step in to control the vehicle using a specially developed control panel with a joystick – which means we’re still a long way from the 2022 Volkswagen Gen.Travel concept (above).
Even so, Volkswagen’s autonomous driving efforts have been in public testing phases since at least 2023, when the company unveiled a fleet of ten specially modified VW.Buzz AD electric vans. Tests with those vans have gone well enough, at least, to lead Volkswagen to announce plans for large-scale production.
The current test phase is limited to Volkswagen Group employees as riders, and is planned for a period of several weeks. If results are satisfactory, VW could expand its rider base by the end of Q1.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volkswagen.
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Ask anyone who owned or owns one, and they’ll tell you that Honda Element was ahead of its time, delivering a flexible interior, car-like ride, and SUV-levels of visibility – and, if Honda really wanted to, they could roll out an all-new, all-electric Element riding on an Ultium-style electric skateboard tomorrow.
Honda’s first Element made its debut way back in 2003, when it was still a bit strange to think of companies like Cadillac, Volkswagen, and Porsche selling anything as big and clunky as an SUV. It earned plenty of fans, however, and for all the same reasons, they’ll love an electric Element even more.
Consider the following:
Car-like handling
The original Element rolled around on a lot of bits originally developed for the Honda Civic – widely regarded as a fun-to-drive, great-handling little car. That car-based chassis earned it some mockery among automotive journalists who, more than two decades ago, still widely believed that an SUV had to have some off-road chops to it.
Today, we’re a more enlightened bunch. In 2025, an SUV needs to be practical above all else, emphasizing the “Utility” aspect. With a low-slung, low-cg, and low-intrusion electric skateboard underneath its boxy body (more on that in a minute), a modern Element would be than more than capable of delivering a “car-like” ride with plenty of sporty acceleration, as well.
Flexible interior
Remember that comment about the low-intrusion nature of the Ultium EV chassis? Without a transmission tunnel to get in the way, Honda was able to offer a massive, flat floor that made the Element ideal for moving, camping, beach days, tailgating, antiquing, and (not to put too fine a point on it) drive-in movies – which we still had those in Florida until at least 2010.
In an EV, all that flat-floor goodness is still there, with the added benefit of being able to offer a flat floor without a transmission tunnel ruining the bedroom cargo bay.
Add a bit of extra width inherited from the Prologue, toss in a friendly ASIMO interface to keep the investment class happy, and offer a full range of inflatable tents, dog beds, and other overlanding, pet, or surf-friendly accessories, and Honda could watch the money roll in. At the very least, if Honda had built a modern Element instead of the Prologue on GM’s skateboard, they might have an easier time moving them in post-rebate America, I think. What do you guys think?
You guys are smart, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find all the problems with this particular take – and I can’t wait to hear them! Should it be FWD only? A plug-in hybrid? Ship with a tent? Scroll on down to the comments and let me know what you think it would take to make a battery-powered Honda Element revival make sense to you.
Original content from Electrek.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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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File this under “wishful thinking” if you want, but a fresh trademark filing for the Buick Electra name could mean that the storied nameplate is set for a return to US shores.
GM Authority reports that Buick parent company General Motors has renewed its trademark for the Buick Electra name in the US in a filing from 09DEC2025 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and received an assigned serial number 99538079. The application carries a Goods and Services of, “Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles.”
Electra a nameplate that holds a long history with the near-luxe Buick brand and has generally been believed to be one that’s especially relevant to Buick’s electrification strategy in the US. That’s a notion that seems especially true when you consider the following two facts:
- the Buick Electra nameplate is already featured on a number of hugely successful GM products being sold in the ultra-competitive Chinese market
- 2027 is the fortieth anniversary of the Buick Grand National, and GM’s marketers are way too smart to let that moment slide
It’s worth noting, of course, that this most recent renewal for the Buick Electra trademark is a long, long way from a confirmation of a new all-electric Buick for the US market and even further from a confirmation that we’re getting the hot, sexy Electra GM sells in China. If anything, it’s likely just a matter of course legal thing that GM needs to protect its IP in China while, at the same time, preventing some kind of disastrous Sierra Mist scenario from playing out at home (which– yeah, I get that it’s not true, but you got the idea).
That said, I want to believe.
Electrek’s Take
I’m a huge fan of GM, GM’s EVs, and the way Mary Barra has managed the General over the past several years. I also think a big, sexy sedan is sorely missing from GM’s lineup, and the fast, flashy electric sedan formula might play better at the Buick store than at the Cadillac brand.
Combine that with an overwhelming desire to see a new-age Buick Grand National parked in my garage next Christmas and you can see that I’m not to be trusted. So, what say you? Head on down to the comments and let us know what you think of an American Electra revival just in time for the 2027 model year.
SOURCE | IMAGES: GM Authority; GM.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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