It took years, but electric mountain bikes are finally more affordable
Electric mountain biking has long been one of the most exciting – and most expensive – corners of the micromobility world. Riders get to explore rugged trails, climb hills that would leave most lungs gasping, and experience the rush of mountain biking with a little extra electric assist. But for many, the cost of entry has felt more like a brick wall than a welcome gate. Until now.
For years, if you wanted a capable, safe, and trail-ready electric mountain bike, you had to be ready to shell out $4,000 or more. And that’s just to get started. Some of the nicest electric mountain bikes I’ve ridden cost over $8,000. And to be fair, those prices weren’t just marketing fluff – real electric mountain bikes come with serious hardware: quality mid-drive motors for optimal weight distribution and torque delivery, high-end suspension systems to soak up the rough stuff, rugged shifters and derailleurs that can handle being pushed hard (or pushed into a tree), and hydraulic brakes that can stop you quickly and repeatedly, even on steep descents.
But the price tags have made the sport feel out of reach for a lot of riders who might otherwise love to hit the trails.
That’s finally beginning to change, thanks to a new wave of direct-to-consumer (D2C) electric bike brands that are offering true eMTBs at significantly lower prices. Companies like Ride1Up and Aventon are leading the charge, proving that you don’t have to choose between affordability and performance.
Their latest models, like the Ride1Up TrailRush launched earlier this week and the Aventon Ramblas launched last year, are both mid-drive, trail-capable electric mountain bikes with serious hardware, and they come in well under that $4,000 psychological ceiling.
Let’s start with Ride1Up’s new TrailRush. At $2,095, this is the company’s first true electric mountain bike, and they clearly didn’t want to just slap knobby tires on one of their hot-selling commuter e-bikes and call it a day. The TrailRush features a powerful German-made Brose mid-drive motor that delivers smooth, high-torque performance right where you want it — through the crank, not just at the hub of the rear wheel. That matters a lot when you’re tackling technical climbs or navigating twisty singletrack, where balance and responsiveness are everything and you want to make full use of your wide range of gears. Speaking of which, it’s outfitted with a 10-speed Shimano Deore M6000 derailleur, not the cheaper Altus or even Acera we often see on D2C e-bikes.
The TrailRush also comes with a 504 Wh battery, which offers enough range for a decent amount of trail riding (and probably gives you more range than you’d think since there’s no throttle to sap up all the juice at once). It also has a high-end Rockshox air suspension fork, a dropper post, and powerful quad-piston hydraulic brakes.
Are these the top-shelf components you’d find on a $7,000 Specialized or Trek? No. But they’re well above the bargain-bin level and more than capable of the kind of riding most recreational and moderately technical riders are doing. Ride1Up’s approach hits that sweet spot: durable, real-world trail performance at a price that opens the door for a lot more riders.
Then there’s the Aventon Ramblas, which launched last year and comes in at a current sale price of $2,599 (or MSRP of $2,899). It’s a hardtail eMTB with Aventon’s own A100 mid-drive motor system, putting out 250W nominal and 750W peak. The 100 Nm of torque is around 10% higher than the Brose motor on the Ride1Up TrailRush, and the 708 Wh battery is around 40% larger.
The Ramblas is also outfitted with a RockShox suspension fork, SRAM 12-speed NX Eagle derailleur, and SRAM DB8 quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes — again, solid components that show this is a real mountain bike, not just a trail-styled city bike.
Importantly, both of these bikes eschew the cheaper rear hub motors often found on budget “eMTBs” that aren’t truly designed for more rigorous off-road use. Rear hub motors work great for commuting or cruising, but for more technical trail riding, you need a mid-drive motor for better weight distribution, improved climbing performance, and the ability to use the bike’s gears effectively. That used to be a non-negotiable feature found only on expensive bikes. Now, it’s finally making its way to more accessible price points.
What’s changed? A lot of it comes down to the direct-to-consumer model. Unlike traditional bike shop brands that go through layers of distribution, D2C companies ship directly to customers, cutting out the middlemen and passing the savings along.
That doesn’t mean there’s no tradeoff. With a D2C ordered from the internet and shipped straight to your door, you won’t get in-person service or a test ride at your local shop. But for a lot of riders, especially younger or tech-savvy ones, that’s a trade they’re willing to make.
However, many D2C companies now use a hybrid model where they partner with hundreds of independent bike shops all over the US, meaning the same e-bike you’re looking at online may be sitting in a bike shop down the road from you, ready for a test ride. Being able to purchase these bikes locally means also having service and support options right in your own backyard.
The D2C model also allows these brands to iterate quickly, respond to trends, and deliver compelling value without the legacy overhead of the big players. The result is a growing field of legitimately capable electric mountain bikes that cost half as much as the traditional competition.
Of course, high-end eMTBs still have their place. No one is saying that a TrailRush or a Ramblas is going to hold a candle to a Santa Cruz. If you’re bombing downhill runs every weekend, competing in enduro races, or just want the absolute best gear money can buy, there’s still a strong case for the $6,000-and-up segment. But for everyone else, the weekend warriors, the trail-curious, and the riders who just want to explore their local parks and backcountry routes with a bit of a boost, these new mid-range options are a game changer.
Electric mountain biking is finally becoming something closer to a people’s sport. With models like the TrailRush and Ramblas proving that solid performance doesn’t have to come with sticker shock, the trail just got a little more welcoming.
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Lucid’s electric minivan can outsprint the Chevy Corvette Z06, and it has more interior space than a Ford Explorer. Is the Lucid Gravity really the “ultimate uncompromising SUV?”
Lucid Gravity SUV is faster than a Corvette Z06
Lucid’s electric SUV is impressive inside and out. The Gravity provides up to 450 miles of driving range, ultra-fast charging (200 miles in under 11 mins), and it even offers up to 120 cubic feet of cargo space. That’s more than the Ford Explorer (87.8 cu ft).
It’s also faster than most sports cars. The Grand Touring trim has up to 845 hp, good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds, but the Dream Edition takes it to another level.
Powered by dual electric motors, the Lucid Gravity Dream Edition boasts 1,070 hp. To see how Lucid’s minivan stacks up against the competition, Car and Driver nabbed one for testing.
On the test track, the Lucid’s minivan covered a quarter-mile in just 10.6 secs, beating a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 to 150 mph by nearly three seconds.
According to Car and Driver, the Gravity didn’t just impress in the quarter-mile, “it was a beast in every acceleration metric.” Lucid’s SUV hit 30 mph in 1.4 seconds, 70 mph in 3.7 secs, and topped 100 mph in just 5.9 seconds.
Dave Vanderwerp, the testing director who took the Gravity for a spin, said the electric SUV “gets a sort of second wave of thrust starting around 60 mph.”
With a quarter-mile of just 10.6 secs, Lucid’s Gravity is the fastest SUV they have ever tested, beating out the Rivian Tri-Motor Max (11.1 secs), BMW iX M60 (11.5 secs), and Mercedes-AMG EQE53 SUV.
Although the Rivian’s 850 hp R1S Tri-Motor beat the Gravity to 60 mph, Lucid’s SUV sprinted ahead in the quarter-mile, traveling nearly 20 mph faster.
It was also faster than gas-powered super SUVs, including the Lamborghini Urus Performante (11.2 secs) and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT (11.2 secs). However, they have yet to test a Tesla Model X Plaid, so that could change the game.
In what it called the “1,000 hp mom missiles” drag race, Hagerty recently pitted the Gravity Dream Edition against the Audi RS Q8 Performance, Range Rover Sport SV, Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, Rivian R1S Quad, and Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.
The result was a three-way tie between Lucid’s Gravity, the Porsche Panamera Turbo, and Rivian R1S Quad hitting the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds.
The Lucid Gravity is available to order starting at $94,900 in the US. Later this year, Lucid is launching the lower-priced Touring trim, priced from $79,900.
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Solar provided over 11% of total US electrical generation in May, while wind + solar produced over one-fifth, and the mix of all renewable energy sources generated nearly 30%, according to data just released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Solar continues to set new records
Solar continues to be the fastest-growing source of US electricity, according to EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through May 31, 2025), which the SUN DAY Campaign reviewed.
In May alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar (>1-megawatt (MW)) increased by 33.3% year-over-year, while “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV increased by 8.9%. Combined, they grew by 26.4% and provided over 11% of US electrical output during the month.
For the first time ever, the mix of utility-scale and small-scale solar produced more electricity than wind: solar – 38,965 gigawatt-hours (GWh); wind – 36,907-GWh.
Moreover, utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic expanded by 39.8% while that from small-scale systems rose by 10.7% during the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 31.1% and was nearly 8.4% of total US electrical generation for January to May – up from 6.6% a year earlier.
Solar-generated electricity easily surpassed the output of US hydropower plants (6.1%). Solar now produces more electricity than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
Wind is also on the rise in 2025
Wind produced 12.2% of US electricity in the first five months of 2025. Its output was 3.9% greater than the year before, almost double that produced by hydropower.
During the first five months of 2025, electrical generation by wind + utility-scale and small-scale solar provided 20.5% of the US total, up from 18.7% during the first five months of 2024. Solar + wind accounted for nearly 21.5% of US electrical output in May alone.
During the first five months of this year, wind and solar provided 26.2% more electricity than coal, and 15.4% more than US nuclear power plants. In May alone, the disparity increased further when solar + wind outproduced coal and nuclear power by 55.7% and 22.1%, respectively.
All renewables produced almost 30% in May
The mix of all renewables – wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, geothermal – produced 9.7% more electricity in January to May than they did a year ago (7.6% more in May alone) and provided 28.1% of total US electricity production compared to 26.5% 12 months earlier.
Electrical generation by all renewables in May alone provided 29.7% of total US electrical generation. Renewables’ share of electrical generation is now second only to that of natural gas, whose electrical output actually dropped by 5.9% during the month.
“Solar and wind continue to grow, set new records, and outproduce both coal and nuclear power,” said Ken Bossong, the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director. “Consequently, the ongoing Republican assault against renewables is not only misguided and illogical but also a good example of shooting oneself in the foot.”
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind made up 96% of new US power generating capacity in first third of 2025
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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Environment
Podcast: Tesla’s disturbing earnings, self-driving challenge, solid state batteries, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s disturbing earnings, a new self-driving challenge, solid-state batteries, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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