Connect with us

Published

on

The Engwe LE20 is an interesting take on the cargo e-bike format. It’s marketed as a budget-friendly utility e-bike that can handle hauling groceries, gear, or even a passenger. At the same time, it looks like a cross between a compact cargo bike and a semi-fat tire hybrid-style bike, with a chunky frame, small wheels, and a long rear rack. But how does it actually perform in the real world? After spending some time riding and testing it, here’s what I found.

For such an interesting low-cost, long-range cargo e-bike, you’ll definitely want to see what it’s like to ride this one.

Check out my video review below for the full experience!

Engwe LE20 Video Review

Engwe LE20 2.0 tech specs

  • Motor: 750W geared hub motor in the rear wheel
  • Top speed: 45 km/h (28 mph) on pedal assist, 32 km/h (20 mph) on throttle
  • Range: Claimed up to 160 km (100 mi) on single battery (or twice that with dual batteries)
  • Battery: One or two 48V 19.2Ah (920 Wh) batteries
  • Weight: 41.5 kg (91.5 lb)
  • Max load: 200 kg (440 lb)
  • Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors
  • Extras: Long rear rack, beautiful color LED display, integrated head/tail/brake LED lights with turn signals, fender set, kickstand

Power and performance

The Engwe LE20 is powered by a 750W rear hub motor (peaking at 1,300W), and I have to say, it packs more punch than I expected. With 75Nm of torque, acceleration is smooth but strong, especially when using the throttle. On flat terrain, it easily cruises at 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle alone, and with pedal assist, it can reach 28 mph (45 km/h).

Advertisement – scroll for more content

One of the things I really liked about the ride was the torque sensor. Many budget e-bikes rely on cheap cadence sensors, and to be fair, Engwe has floated by on cadence sensors in the past. Cadence sensors aren’t bad per se, but the cheaper ones can feel extra laggy and they are often combined with poor controller programming that results in lurching and jumpy acceleration. As a nice change, the LE20’s torque sensor responds quickly to input, giving it a much more natural and intuitive ride feel. It just feels more like you’re riding a bike with strong legs, than that you’re on a jumpy motorbike.

Testing the bike in Florida, I didn’t have much of a chance to do any real hill climbing performance tests, buts with 75 Nm of torque and good power, I have to imagine that it will handle moderate inclines well. For steeper hills though, you’ll usually want to pedal along with hub motor-based electric bikes like these since the motor can’t drop into lower gears like a mid-drive.

Battery for days… and days

The LE20 comes with a 48V 19.2Ah battery, which is quite respectable for a cargo e-bike at this price point. Most cargo e-bikes cost more and have less battery, so Engwe starts strong there. The company claims a 109-mile range, but as with all e-bike range estimates, that’s in the lowest assist setting with ideal conditions. In real-world riding, using a mix of throttle and pedal assist, I would expect the range to be closer to 30-50 miles, which is still solid.

For those who need more range, Engwe offers an optional second battery, which could theoretically double the range. If you’re using this bike for delivery work or long-haul commutes, that second battery might be worth considering.

I tested the dual battery version, and I should point out that unlike most dual battery e-bikes, the Engwe shows the charge level of both batteries on the display. That’s a cool feature and will be important for cases where you might have forgotten to charge one of the batteries. You’ll instantly know it when you see one is nearly full while the other is approaching empty.

The display is also really nice. I’d say it has no businesses being this nice looking on a budget bike, but the colors and layout make it very slick look and easily readable.

Cargo and Utility

The LE20 is certainly designed first and foremost as a cargo e-bike, and while it does have a large rear rack, it’s not quite as robust as traditional long-tail cargo bikes. That said, the 440 lbs (200 kg) payload capacity means it can carry a fair amount, assuming that’s accurate. I always have to wonder a bit, especially when budget companies list the same or higher weight ratings than industry leaders such as Tern, who puts a lot of emphasis on accurate weight ratings. I’m not sure I’d run it with 440 lb of weight on it every day, but perhaps that’s just me being conservative with an admittedly budget-brand electric bike.

The long rear rack does offer some nice space for mounting accessories such as a child safety seat, though I like the passenger deck pads that work just as well for kids and adults. Engwe also sells varioius storage cases and other cargo accessories. Mine didn’t come with footrests, but I think the standard package includes them now.

One major inconvenience that I did NOT like about the cargo design is that the side panels are so massive that they cover every bit of exposed frame rail in the back. That means I’ve got nothing to lash to when I want to carry cargo. I did a mail run and had a couple packages that I needed to carry back with me, and ended up having to secure them to the rack by tying off to the derailleur guard, of all places. Obviously that’s not ideal, and I wish Engwe had left us a bit more frame rail to work with.

You can see my jury-rigged rigging in the video review above. It works, but it’s not ideal from a cargo standpoint.

Ride comfort and handling

For a cargo bike, the LE20 rides pretty well, thanks to its front suspension fork and 20×3.0-inch tires. The smaller wheels make it more maneuverable in tight spaces, but they also make bumps slightly more noticeable compared to a larger-wheel cargo bike. I always prefer smaller wheels on cargo bikes though, since I’ll take the lower center of gravity over the better rolling comfort. And the semi-fat design of the 3-inch tires adds back some comfort to the mix. The cast wheels are also a nice addition, even if they are probably a bit more rigid than spoke wheels, but at least they’re maintenance free and look cool, too!

The step-through frame makes getting on and off the bike easy, especially if you’re carrying cargo. The seat is decently comfortable, and the upright riding position feels natural.

However, at 91.5 lbs (41.5 kg), it’s not a lightweight bike by any stretch of the imagination! You definitely feel that weight when maneuvering it around in a garage or parking, and even when riding around at low speeds.

At higher speeds, you generally don’t notice the extra weight, and of course, one of the benefits of an electric motor is that you don’t have the same weight penalty as a traditional bike. But lordy lord help you if you ever want to lift it onto a bike rack or carry it up a flight of stairs.

Brakes and safety features

Braking is handled by 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes, which offer strong stopping power. Given the weight and speed of this bike, hydraulic brakes are a necessity, and I was happy to see that Engwe didn’t cut corners here.

Another major safety feature is lighting, and the LE20 comes with integrated lights that run off the main battery. This isn’t exactly a technological feat, but some e-bikes still use lights with their own separate batteries, so I’m glad to see we at least make use of that massive e-bike battery for the lighting.

The dual-barrel headlights seem plenty bright as a be-seen light, but don’t expect them to solely light up the path on a moonless night with no street lights. For visibility though, I don’t think cars will miss you.

Final thoughts

For just $1,295 for the base model or $1,595 for the dual battery version, this is a great price for a super long range cargo e-bike.

Yes, it’s got some small issues. I’d probably just remove the rear guards to give me access to frame rails in the rear, though I accept that they’re a safety feature and so I’d rather just seem them a bit smaller. And it’s heavy as all get out. But at this price, you’re getting some serious performance and lots of cargo space.

The nice features like a torque sensor and beautiful display add significant value on what should be an otherwise unremarkable bargain-priced electric bike, so this one actually surprised me in a good way.

I’m not saying there aren’t better options out there, and the Lectric XPedition 2.0 for just an extra $100 has a lot going for it (even if the battery isn’t as big). But for $1,295, the Engwe LE20 is definitely compelling as a long-range cargo e-bike.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14 disappoints with hallucinations, brake stabbing, and speeding

Published

on

By

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14 disappoints with hallucinations, brake stabbing, and speeding

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) v14, its first major update in a year, disappoints as data points to a lower increase in miles between disengagements than expected.

The system also features new hallucinations, brake stabbing, and excessive speeding.

Earlier this month, Tesla began rolling out its Full Self-Driving (FSD) v14 software update to some customers.

The update has been highly anticipated for several reasons.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

First off, it has been a year since Tesla released any significant FSD update to customers, as it focused on its internal robotaxi fleet in Austin. The update is believed to feature improvements developed through Tesla’s robotaxi fleet, which requires supervising like its consumer FSD.

Secondly, CEO Elon Musk has claimed that Tesla still plans for “Supervised Full Self-Driving” to become unsupervised by the end of the year in consumer vehicles. For that to happen, we needed to see a massive improvement from v13 to v14.

As I previously reported, I anticipated an improvement in miles between critical disengagements from ~400 miles in v13 to ~800 to 1,200 miles in v14. It would be a significant improvement, but still way short of what’s needed to make FSD unsupervised.

Tesla notoriously doesn’t release any data about its FSD program. Musk has literally told people to rely on anecdotal experiences posted on social media to gauge progress.

Fortunately, there’s a crowdsourced dataset that gives us some data to track progress with miles between critical disengagement. It’s far from perfect, but it is literally the best data available, and Musk himself has shared the dataset in the past – albeit while misrepresenting it.

In the last week, Tesla started pushing the FSD v14 update (now v14.1.4) to more owners – resulting in more crowdsourced data and anecdotal evidence.

With now over 4,000 miles of FSD v14 data, miles between critical disengagement sits about 732 miles – below the lower end of our expectations:

Tesla would need to be closer to 10,000 miles between critical disengagements to allow unsupervised operation, and even then, it would likely be in geo-fenced areas with speed limitations.

This is unlikely to happen by the end of the year, as Musk predicted, as FSD v14 appears to have some significant issues still.

First off, many FSD v14 drivers are reporting that the update is having problems with hallucinations where the car decides to stop on the side of the road seemingly randomly:

It does seem like FSD v14 sometimes misinterprets other vehicles’ turn signals as emergency vehicle lights and pulls over.

In some cases, FSD v14 has been known to completely disable FSD features inside vehicles:

Many FSD v14 drivers have also reported an increase in “brake stabbing”, where the vehicle seems to hesitate and frantically applies the brakes and releases them – resulting in a stabbing motion.

As previously reported, Tesla also brought back its ‘Mad Max’ mode in FSD v14, which allows for driving exceedingly over the speed limit.

Electrek’s Take

Now, I don’t want to hear anything about my use of anecdotal evidence and crowdsourced data. That’s literally the best data available for FSD.

Unlike virtually all other companies developing self-driving technology, Tesla refuses to release any.

If it were to release some data, I’d be happy to use it.

One thing is clear from v14 so far: unsupervised FSD in consumer vehicles is not happening in any meaningful way this year.

I expect significant improvements in upcoming FSD v14 point updates. Maybe enough to get it to my previous expectations of ~800 to 1,200 miles between disengagements, but that’s about it.

Finally, while I generally don’t count on NHTSA to enforce any rule in any significant way when it comes to Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” effort, I think they might actually do something about “Mad Max.”

This video on Instagram has 4.5 million views, and it shows extremely dangerous driving behavior at up to 90 mph (145 km/h)

I think the authorities will have to intervene here, because it makes no sense for an unproven autonomous driving system to be able to operate under those parameters.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

The Toyota Corolla EV is bringing a sharp new look, but that’s just the start [Images]

Published

on

By

The Toyota Corolla EV is bringing a sharp new look, but that's just the start [Images]

Toyota’s best-selling car is finally going electric. The Corolla EV looks more like a Porsche or BMW than the Toyota vehicles on the road today, but that’s just the start.

The Toyota Corolla is evolving into a rad-looking EV

After revealing the Corolla Concept for the first time at the Japan Mobility Show on Tuesday, Toyota’s CEO, Koji Sato, said the compact car has always been “a car for everyone.”

Since it hit the market over 50 years ago, Toyota has sold well over 50 million Corollas. The Corolla even surpassed the VW Beetle in the 90s to become the world’s best-selling vehicle. Like the Prius, Toyota’s compact car lured in buyers with an affordable price and a reputation as a reliable daily driver.

Although it’s still a top-seller, the Corolla has lost some of its charm as more advanced, stylish, and efficient electric cars hit the market.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Toyota looks to change that with a drastic overhaul that takes the Corolla to the next level. To stay relevant, Sato asked the crowd at the event, “How should the Corolla evolve?”

Toyota-Corolla-EV-reveal
Toyota CEO Koji Sato reveals the Corolla Concept at the Japan Mobility Show (Source: Toyota)

We all want to drive a car that looks cool, but there’s much more to it nowadays. Buyers are increasingly seeking more efficient vehicles with the latest software, connectivity technology, and other features.

“Whether it’s a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle―whatever the power source―let’s make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive!” Toyota’s CEO said, adding the car is “packed with inventions aimed at making that a reality.”

Although Toyota didn’t confirm the concept was headed for production, the next-gen Corolla is expected to arrive with a similar style.

The concept still features Toyota’s newest design elements, like the “hammerhead” front end, but with a bit more of a futuristic feel.

You can barely tell the concept is a Corolla, aside from the massive COROLLA badging on the rear. Toyota didn’t reveal any powertrain details, but the charge port and closed-off grille suggest it’s an EV.

The next-gen Toyota Corolla is expected to be offered as an EV, a plug-in hybrid, a hybrid, and, likely, still an ICE variant.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Uber chooses first market to deploy its Lucid Gravity robotaxis featuring Nuro Driver

Published

on

By

Uber chooses first market to deploy its Lucid Gravity robotaxis featuring Nuro Driver

Three months after Uber, Lucid Motors, and Nuro announced a partnership that would enable Gravity SUV robotaxis, the rideshare network has shared where the public will first be able to hail one. Spoiler alert, it’s easy to guess if you give it half a thought.

As we reported in July, Uber Technologies committed to a $300 million investment in Lucid Group (parent company of American EV automaker Lucid Motors), to deploy at least 20,000 Lucid vehicles as robotaxis over the next six years.

Those Lucid vehicles, which will consist of the automaker’s flagship Gravity SUV to begin, will hit public roads equipped with a Level 4 autonomous system called Nuro Driver. Nuro, the third partner in this equation, is a robotics company specializing in zero-occupant delivery vehicles, which garnered an existing partnership with Uber Eats as well as a “hefty” (yet undisclosed) investment from Uber Technologies.

Last month, Lucid delivered its first Gravity SUV to Nuro to begin the retrofitting process of the Nuro Driver system to support Uber’s hopes for a luxe robotaxi fleet. While the partners continue to work toward building an exciting new fleet of Lucid Gravity Robotaxis, Uber has shared the location where they will first go into service… Casper, Wyoming.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Just kidding!

It’s the San Francisco Bay Area, of course.

Lucid-first-EV-Uber
Lucid Gravity SUV fitted with Nuro’s self-driving tech (Source: Lucid)

Uber to deploy Lucid Gravity EVs in Bay Area in 2026

Today’s update from Uber expands upon the ongoing partnership with Lucid Group and Nuro. According to the companies, the San Francisco Bay Area will be the first market where riders will see this next-generation autonomous robotaxi program in operation. That milestone is expected sometime in 2026.

Uber has shared that it has been updating policymakers and regulators at every level on the progress of its exclusive Lucid Robotaxis and continues to meet the operational requirements. Notably, Uber has shared that on-road development with the Lucid Gravity robotaxi engineering fleet is already underway in the Bay Area.

Furthermore, Nuro and Lucid intend to be operating over 100 Gravity robotaxis as part of the test fleet “in the coming months.” Lucid interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, spoke about today’s announcement:

Lucid has always celebrated its California roots, and we’re thrilled to make the San Francisco Bay Area the first market for our new robotaxi on the Uber platform, powered by the Nuro Driver. Beginning next year, riders will experience a level of convenience, safety, and comfort unlike anything else on the road. We can’t wait to bring this service to life and expand it to communities across the country.

To build this fleet of Uber-exclusive robotaxis, the required hardware will be integrated into Lucid Gravity SUVS while they are still on Lucid’s assembly line in Arizona. Those builds will then be integrated with Nuro’s proprietary software when Uber officially commissions them.

All eyes on 2026 as we now know that residents around the Bay Area will be able to hail a driverless Lucid Gravity through the Uber platform. I’m very much looking forward to seeing this fleet in action.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending