I’ve been using the pickup truck of electric bikes and it’s pretty amazing
You can call it a cargo bike. You can call it a passenger trike. You can call it a rickshaw. You can call it a lot of things. But after spending the last few weeks with the Oh Wow Cycles Conductor Plus, I think the most accurate description is this: it’s the pickup truck of electric bikes.
I’ve used this thing for just about everything. I’ve packed it with kids – my nephews and niece giggling in the roomy rear section, either sitting happily on the fold-down bench with their feet planted firmly on the integrated footrests, or hay-ride style in the cargo-carrying rear bed with their full-size golden retriever along for the ride in there too.
I’ve carted around my adult sister. I even gave my dad a lift, and there was still room for more. Honestly, I think it could fit two modestly trim adults back there if you really wanted it to.
But the Conductor Plus is not just a people-mover. I also used it like a rolling cargo hauler. One day, I rode it to Target and came back with a full-size shelving unit strapped into the back. Another day, I turned it into a literal rolling booth for a neighborhood Purim carnival – decorated it with signs that said “Free Balloons,” a helium tank in the rear bed, and a chair for me to hand out balloons to kids (and fun-loving adults) around the neighborhood. The rear bed fit that helium tank, a chair for me, and my years of balloon animal-making skills. Whether balloon dogs or real dogs, that rear bed can hold a lot. (Theoretically there’s a 465 lb or 211 kg weight limit for the whole bike, but I don’t think I got close to testing that fully).
Sure, there are other heavy-hauling electric cargo bikes out there, but two-wheelers just don’t offer the same kind of stability at low speeds or massive volume of cargo that a trike provides.
The secret to all this versatility is that unique rear end. The Conductor Plus uses a fold-up/fold-down bench setup with an open cargo bed area that can be reconfigured on the fly. It’s like a bench-seat pickup in e-bike form.
Combined with a stable frame, fat tires, and a beefy 176-pound (80 kg) curb weight, the whole thing feels planted and secure no matter who (or what) you’re carrying.
I’d bet a lot of that stability comes from that weight – it’s definitely not light, but it keeps the ride steady even when you’re fully loaded. And even while riding over hilly inclines, it still felt plenty stable during turns.
I wouldn’t want to have to lift it into a truck, but as long as you’re planning on keeping all three wheels on the ground, the weight seems to be a benefit, not a detriment.
Performance-wise, it’s plenty peppy. The 750W motor has all the torque I needed, even with three extra kids onboard. Dual batteries (on the higher-end version) gave me long range – realistically over 50 miles (80 km) with a mix of throttle and pedal assist.
The good news is that a trike is usually ridden a bit slower, meaning the range ends up being longer than you’d expect. It can still hit 20 mph (32 km/h), and I definitely tested that on straightaways when I was by myself, but with cargo or passengers, I tended to ride a bit slower.
And it stops just as well as it goes, thanks to a total of three dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes for safety, each with their own parking brake. That’s an underrated feature, especially when you’re loading up kids or dogs and don’t want the bike rolling away on you. I’ve tried electric trikes before that had no parking brake, and they will literally just roll away from you when dismounting on even the slightest hill, since there’s no kickstand on the ground to “anchor” yourself.
And speaking of safety, the battery (or batteries, on the dual battery model) are UL-certified for extra peace of mind.
There are a few downsides to note. It’s heavy, like I said, which makes it hard to transport in a vehicle unless you’ve got a full-on ramp to get it in the back of a truck. You’re not throwing this on a bike rack or carrying it upstairs to your apartment. You’re definitely going to need a dedicated garage to park it in (and it will take up more room than a typical bicycle in your garage).
And it’s not cheap, either. The single-battery version runs $3,800, while the dual-battery model climbs to $4,250. But honestly, for what it replaces (second car, cargo bike, grocery-getter, dog hauler, mobile balloon stand…), it starts to make sense. And if it means your family can get around without needing a second car, then it probably pays for itself in literally just a couple of months when you factor in the savings on car payments, gasoline, insurance, etc.
I honestly think this would be an ideal vehicle for dropping the kids off at school, doing large grocery runs, or all sorts of other utility style tasks – the things many Americans use a pickup truck or an SUV for every day.
In my opinion, the Oh Wow Cycles Conductor Plus is one of the most versatile electric bikes I’ve tested in a long time. Whether you’re hauling humans, dogs, shelving units, or helium tanks, this bike just says “yes.” And isn’t that what a good pickup truck or SUV should do – actually serve for utility tasks?
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On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
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he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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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Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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.
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![Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/Kia-EV2-closest-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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