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Ride1Up has carved out a name for itself in the e-bike world by delivering sleek, well-equipped electric bikes that punch well above their price tag. Their latest model, the Ride1Up Vorsa, takes that formula and beefs it up into something more versatile… literally.

The Vorsa is Ride1Up’s answer to the growing demand for SUV-style e-bikes – those do-it-all electric rides that can handle your commute, your grocery runs, your kid-hauling trailer, and your backroad detours without flinching. And at $1,595, the Vorsa might just be the most affordable ticket into that category right now – at least for an e-bike that still includes a pile of interesting and high-value tech features.

To see what I mean, check out my video review of the Ride1Up Vorsa below. Then keep reading for the full details on this highly versatile ride.

Ride1Up Vorsa video review

Ride1Up Vorsa Tech Specs

  • Motor: 750W and 95Nm rear hub motor
  • Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h) on pedal assist or 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle
  • Range: 30-60 miles (48-96 km)
  • Battery: 48V 15Ah (720Wh) UL-certified with Samsung 50GB cells
  • Weight: 65 lb (29.5 kg)
  • Load Capacity: 440 lb (200 kg)
  • Frame: Aluminum alloy 6061
  • Brakes: Star Union hydraulic dual-piston disc brakes on 203 mm (front) and 180 mm (rear) rotors
  • Extras: Shimano Acera 8-speed derailleur, new highly-detailed color LCD display, two frame styles of step-over and step-thru, semi-integrated rear rack with optional rack extender, and a wide range of other accessories
  • Price: $1,595

Goes anywhere, does almost anything

E-bikes are getting more versatile, but the Vorsa takes versatility to the extreme.

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This is already a powerful e-bike capable of 28+ mph Class 3 speeds (though ships out of the box with a Class 2 setting of 20 mph) from its 750W motor capable of a heart-thumping 95 Nm of torque. That means its a fast hill climber and ready for just about any challenge that a high-performance e-bike should be.

But then, on top of that, the bike’s design allows it to tackle very different styles of riding, from cargo needs with its semi-integrated rear rack to touring and trekking style rides with its 27.5×2.6″ Schwalbe touring tires.

That means the same e-bike you use to take the kids to school at in the morning can transform into your commuter bike to work and then into your single-track bike for weekend recreational riding.

And with a 720 Wh battery (UL-compliant, no less), you’ll have plenty of charge to do all of those things in the same day!

It’s par for the course at Ride1Up, something I learned when touring their factory last year and seeing firsthand just how important a combination of quality, practicality, and affordability are to the company. It’s obvious that the folks at Ride1Up want to give us riders as much battery, as much performance, and as much versatility as they can while keeping the price reasonable.

Packed with tech, but only the good stuff

It’s fun to see more tech enter the e-bike space, but some companies don’t seem to understand that more isn’t always better. It’s only a net benefit to me if it’s stuff I’ll actually use. Ride1Up has eschewed smartphone apps and other things that don’t add much usability and has now given us the stuff that actually matters.

For example, the new display on the Vorsa is much more involved, with more than just a higher-resolution color display. It shows metrics that actually mean something to me, like how much time I spend in different riding modes. This helped remind me to not only use the highest power modes but also drop the pedal assist down a few notches for more exercise.

There’s also built-in Apple FindMy tracking now, which is a HUGE added value for me. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll get your bike back if it’s stolen, but it’s a major headstart in recovering it. It may not be as helpful for you Android phone users out there, but for us iPhone folks who are held captive by Apple’s golden handcuffs, it’s a great system for finding just about anything, especially your e-bike. From my phone, I can see where my Vorsa is, and I can find it if someone tries to abscond with it.

Then there’s the new torque sensor from MiVice, which is honestly one of the most responsive torque sensors I’ve ever had the pleasure of pedaling. It’s fast, and it feels like my legs are just extra strong that day. Throttle-only riders won’t really benefit from it, and in fact may want to use the sensor selector option to put the bike back in cadence sensor mode to enable more of a ‘foot throttle’ feel, but most of us will prefer the torque sensor because of how impressively dialed in it feels.

Hardware design

That technology is nice, but it needs to complement good hardware, not replace it. In this case, the design of the Ride1Up Vorsa complements the tech, adding versatility and value without jacking up the price.

The semi-integrated rack is a really cool design that helps the bike achieve its 440-lb weight capacity. There’s even a rack extender that helps turn the bike into a longtail cargo bike, even if that tail sticks out in a slightly funny way.

Then there are the other nice upgrades over the usual suspects we see on $1,500-range electric bikes. Instead of plastic fenders, we get nice metal alloy fenders that look and feel better quality. Instead of a cheap 7-speed Shimano Altus derailleur, we get a nicer 8-speed Shimano Acera derailleur. Instead of a basic suspension fork, we get a longer travel 100mm fork. Instead of a compliance stem, we get an adjustable stem to dial in the handlebar angle to our liking. You name it, the upgrades are there.

The LED lighting, including the fender integrated lights, is also clearly higher quality than you’d expect on a value e-bike, making this an even higher value.

What’s not to like?

Don’t get me wrong, the Ride1Up Vorsa is great. It sets a new high watermark in what can be delivered at this price, especially considering the rampant inflation in e-bike prices brought on by new tariffs. But I can always complain about something, and so why stop now?

The Ride1Up Vorsa brings us a lot of cool tech and new hardware, but it comes at a cost, and that cost is weight. At 65-70 lb, depending on how many of the cool add-ons you install, the bike isn’t lightweight. You’ve got chunkier tires, a bigger battery, a more powerful motor, a more robust frame, a larger fork, metal fenders, and other parts that all add to the weight.

Next, Ride1Up has again played it incredibly conservatively with the color options. Your typical dark gray is there, then you get a fairly nice blue, and lastly, you’ve got a slightly confusing two-tone sage grayish-green option. There are no bright colors to choose from, which isn’t a departure for Ride1Up, but still a bit disappointing to me. Go wild, guys! Throw caution to the wind! Hit me with some color someday!

And lastly, Ride1Up continues to ship in smaller boxes that require the fork to be installed by the owner. This isn’t a complicated task when you’ve done it 100 times like it’s your job, which it is for me. But most people have done this zero times, and the ones who have can probably count the instances on one hand. This is an essential step in bike assembly and one that has very little margin for error, so most new owners would be advised to have a bike shop do it if they aren’t comfortable following Ride1Up’s clear and welcomed assembly video.

So I have my complaints like normal, but none are insurmountable. And to be honest, at $1,595, the price is so fair that I can overlook the limited color options and the longer at-home assembly. When it comes to the weight, that’s just the price we riders pay to have more performance and features included in our bikes.

I absolutely recommend the Ride1Up Vorsa to anyone looking for a ‘normal’ style e-bike (i.e., not a folder or a moped) but who wants the versatility to head in highly divergent directions, including everything from cargo hauling to recreational riding and daily commuting. It’s a winner and they stuck the landing on the Vorsa.

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Crude oil jumps 4% on hope economic growth will rebound from temporary U.S.-China trade deal

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Crude oil jumps 4% on hope economic growth will rebound from temporary U.S.-China trade deal

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer attend a news conference after trade talks with China in Geneva, Switzerland, May 12, 2025.

Olivia Le Poidevin | Reuters

Crude oil futures jumped 4% on Monday, after the U.S .and China agreed to slash tariffs, easing trade tensions between the world’s two largest petroleum consumers.

U.S. crude oil was up $2.52, or 4.1%, to $63.54 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent rose $2.33, or 3.65%, to $66.24 per barrel.

Washington and Beijing agreed over the weekend in Switzerland to slash sky high tariff rates by 115%, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday. The lower tariff rate will remain in place for 90 days as the world’s two largest economies continue to negotiate, Bessent said.

“I would imagine in the next few weeks we will be meeting again to get rolling on a more fulsome agreement,” Bessent said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports now stand at 30%, while Beijing’s tariffs on American goods are now 10%. The previous rates had effectively amounted to a trade embargo, Bessent said previously.

Oil prices had plunged the lowest level in four years earlier this month as President Donald Trump’s global tariff regime raised the risk of a recession that would slow demand. At the same time, OPEC+ has agreed to rapidly increase supply to the market this month and next.

Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro:

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Spain’s unprecedented power outage sparks a blackout blame game over green energy

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Spain’s unprecedented power outage sparks a blackout blame game over green energy

Employees stand inside a supermarket without lights in Burgos on April 28, 2025, during a massive power cut affecting the entire Iberian peninsula and the south of France.

Cesar Manso | Afp | Getty Images

A catastrophic power outage affecting much of Spain, Portugal and the south of France has thrust the role of renewables and energy security into the spotlight.

An abrupt and widespread blackout, one of Europe’s worst in living memory, affected the entire Iberian Peninsula on April 28.

The outage, which lasted for several hours, plunged much of the region into darkness, stranded thousands of train passengers and left millions without phone or internet coverage or access to cash from ATMs.

Spanish authorities have since launched several investigations to determine the root cause of the incident, including a probe into whether a cyberattack could be to blame.

Alongside Spanish opposition parties, some external observers have flagged renewables and net-zero emissions targets as possible reasons for the outage, particularly given Spain and Portugal both rely on high levels of wind and solar for their electricity grid.

“It’s very sad to see what’s happened to Portugal and Spain and so many people there, but you know, when you hitch your wagon to the weather, it’s just a risky endeavor,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on April 28.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the country’s grid operator Red Electrica de Espana (REE) have both said record levels of renewable energy were not at fault for the blackout.

People queue at a bus stop at Cibeles Square in downtown Madrid as subway and trains are totally out of service due to a massive power outage in Spain, on April 28, 2025.

Thomas Coex | Afp | Getty Images

European Union energy chief Dan Jorgensen, meanwhile, said that there was “nothing unusual” about the sources of energy supplying electricity to the system at the time of the outage.

“So, the causes of the blackout cannot be reduced to a specific source of energy, for instance renewables,” he added.

‘Europe needs more energy’

European energy technology companies called for observers to refrain from drawing their own conclusions in the absence of a formal explanation from authorities.

Henrik Andersen, CEO of Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas, said he’d encourage “a degree of statesmanship” over the blackout, particularly as Spanish policymakers continue to investigate.

“First of all, energy security means that you can run societies without having blackouts. That’s stating the obvious,” Andersen told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Tuesday.

Europe is waking up to the need for a higher degree of energy independence, Vestas CEO says

“Everyone is grasping quick root causes and blaming each other, and I simply just don’t want to go there because until we know the root cause of why grids can fail across Spain and Portugal, let’s not second guess or try to blame someone at cybersecurity or blame individual energy sources,” he added.

“Europe needs more energy — and we probably also need a stronger grid. That goes without saying,” Andersen said.

Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch, meanwhile, said the German energy tech group was holding talks with the relevant transmission and utility operators following the blackout.

“What you do see is that when you build an energy system, you need to think about the generation, like solar, wind, gas, whatever, but you also need to think about how the overall system on the grid side [is[ operating and how you stabilize that,” Bruch told CNBC on Thursday.

Solar panels on the Seat Cupra SA plant in Martorell, Spain, on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

“This is sometimes underestimated in its complexity, and this is why products from us for grid stabilizations are in demand at the moment to balance these things out,” he continued.

“It’s possible to solve it but it will require investments and it’s not easy. It’s not just a couple of solar cells and some batteries. It’s a little bit more complex than this,” Bruch said.

‘Cash suddenly becomes really important’

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All the EVs you can buy with 0% interest financing in May 2025

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All the EVs you can buy with 0% interest financing in May 2025

Lease deals get all the hype, but most people still want to own the car after they’re done making all those payments on it. If that sounds like you, and you’ve been waiting for the interest rates on auto loans to drop, you’re in luck: there are a bunch of great plug-in cars you can buy with 0% financing in May, 2025!

As I was putting this list together, I realized there were plenty of ways for me to present this information. “Best EVs ..?” Too opinion based. “Cheapest EVs ..?” Too much research. “Best deal ..?” Too opinion based. In the end, I went with alphabetical order, by make. And, as for which deals are new this month? You’re just gonna have to check the list. Enjoy!

Acura ZDX


2024 Acura ZDX.

New for 2024, Acura ZDX uses a GM Ultium battery and drive motors, but the styling, interior, and infotainment software are all Honda. That means you’ll get a solidly-built EV with GM levels of parts support and Honda levels of fit, finish, and quality control. All that plus Apple CarPlay and (through June 2nd) 0% financing for up to 72 months makes the ZDX one the best sporty crossover values in the business.

All the electric Chevrolet models


EV batteries Stanford
Silverado EV, Equinox EV, and Blazer EV at a Tesla Supercharger; via GM.

Chevrolet is offering 0% financing for up to 60 months on all three of its Ultium-based EVs – and they’re all winners. The Silverado can be spec’ed up to a 10,500 lb. GVWR, making it capable enough to tow whatever horse, boat, or RV you put behind it.

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On the crossover side, both the Chevy Blazer EV and Equinox EV each offer their own takes on the five-passenger family SUV, with the cost of base model Equinox LT FWD models with 319 miles of EPA-rated range dropping to just $27,500 after you apply the $7,500 Federal tax credit (which, for now, is still a thing).

Dodge Charger


2024 Dodge Charger Daytona; via Stellantis.

As Stellantis flip-flops its way towards some kind of electrified future, Dodge is hoping that at least a few muscle car enthusiasts with extra cash will find their way to a Dodge store and ask for the meanest, loudest, tire-shreddingest thing on the lot without caring too much about what’s under the hood.

For them, Dodge has the new electric Charger. And if you still owed money on the Hemi you just totaled, Dodge will help get the deal done on its latest retro-tastic ride with a $3,000 rebate plus 0% financing for up to 72 months!

GMC Hummer EV


GMC-HUMMER-EV-SUV
2024 GMC Hummer EV; via GM.

The biggest Ultium-based EVs from GM’s commercial truck brand are seriously impressive machines, with shockingly quick acceleration and on-road handling that seems to defy the laws of physics once you understand that these are, essentially, medium-duty trucks. This month, GMC is doing its best to move out its existing inventory of 2024s and ’25s so if you’re a fan of heavy metal you’ll definitely want to stop by your local GMC dealer and give the Hummer EV a test drive.

Honda Prologue


Honda-Pologue-2025
2024 Honda Prologue; via Honda.

The Honda Prologue was one of the top-selling electric crossovers last year, combining GM’s excellent Ultium platform with Honda sensibilities and Apple CarPlay to create a winning combination. Even so, there’s still some remaining 2024 inventory out there. To make room for the 2025 models, Honda is offering 0% APR for up to 72 months on the remaining 2024s.

Hyundai IONIQ 6


Hyundai-IONIQ-6
Hyundai IONIQ 6; via Hyundai.

From some angles, the Porsche influences in the Hyundai IONIQ 6′ design are obvious – but not so much so that it seems like a copy of anything. It’s aerodynamically efficient, comfortable, quick, offers up to 361 miles of range, can charge just about anywhere, and now through June 2nd, it’s available with 0% financing for up to 48 months.

Kia EV9


2025 Kia EV9
2025 Kia EV9; via Kia.

If you were waiting for a three-row SUV from a mainstream brand with a great warranty and normal doors, you’ve probably already checked out the Kia EV9. You’re not alone. Kia keeps setting EV sales records, and the EV9 is helping to drive those sales forward.

Kia’s electrified sales train doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, either. In addition to seeing some substantial discounts out there, you can finance a Kia EV9 at 0% for 72 months through Memorial Day.

Lexus RZ


2025 Lexus RZ; via Lexus.

Starting at $55,175, the Lexus RZ promises up to 266 miles of EPA-rated range from a 72.8 kWh battery back in the “base” RZ300e (and 224 from the top-shelf RZ450e). With up to 308 hp and over 195 lb-ft of instant, all-electric torque, the RZ promises to be one Lexus’ zippier rides in any trim.

US News is reporting that remaining 2024 and ’25 Lexus RZ models qualify for 0% financing for up to 72 months in some regions.

Nissan Ariya


Nissan-new-EV-partners
2024 Nissan Ariya.

I’ve already said that the Nissan Ariya didn’t get a fair shake. If you click that link, you’ll read about a car that offers solid driving dynamics, innovative interior design, and all the practicality that makes five-passenger crossovers the must-haves they’ve become for most families. With up to 289 miles of EPA-rated range, Tesla Supercharger access, and 0% interest from Nissan for up to 72 months, Nissan dealers should have no trouble finding homes for these.

Subaru Solterra


2025 Subaru Solterra; via Subaru.

Despite being something of a slow seller, this mechanical twin of the Toyota bZ4X EV seems like a solid mid-size electric crossover with some outdoorsy vibes and granola style that offers more than enough utility to carry your mountain bikes to the trail or your kayaks to the river. Add in 227 miles of range, some big discounts, and 0% financing for up to 72 months, and this should be a great month for electric Subaru fans to drive home in a new Solterra.

Volkswagen ID.4


Volkswagen-ID-top-selling
VW ID.4; via Volkswagen.

One of the most popular legacy EVs both in the US and Europe, the ID.4 offers Volkswagen build quality and (for 2024) a Chat-GPT enabled interface. To keep ID.4 sales rolling, VW dealers are getting aggressive with discounts, making this fast-charging, 291 mile EPA-rated range, 5-star safety rated EV a value proposition that’s tough to beat.

This month, get a Volkswagen ID.4 with 0% financing for up to 72 months or a $5,000 customer cash bonus to stack with it.

Disclaimer: the vehicle models and financing deals above were sourced from CarsDirectCarEdge, and (where mentioned) the OEM websites – and were current as of 11MAY2025. These deals may not be available in every market, with every discount, or for every buyer (the standard “with approved credit” fine print should be considered implied). Check with your local dealer(s) for more information.

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