Heybike Mars 3.0 review: A 30 MPH full-suspension e-bike for just $1,199?!
Heybike has just announced the launch of its new X-Series, with the Mars 3.0 and Ranger S 3.0 Pro comprising the first two big new models. Or maybe not so “big”, as they’re actually kinda compact-sized, at least for full-suspension e-bikes. They’re both 20″ wheel folding e-bikes, and they pack in a lot of performance into comfortable rides. I’ve been testing both, and today we’re jumping in with both feet to check out how well the Mars 3.0 rides.
First of all, as usual, it’s fun to start with a video review. So check out my riding experience below, then keep reading for the nitty gritty details.
Heybike Mars 3.0 Video Review
Heybike Mars 3.0 Tech specs
- Motor: 750W continuous (1,400W peak) rear geared hub motor
- Top speed: 45 km/h (28 mph), though it can technically be unlocked to go around 48 km/h or 30 mph
- Range: Claimed up to 104 km (65 mi)
- Battery: 48V 13Ah (624 Wh) battery in down tube
- Brakes: Hydraulic two-piston disc brakes on 180×2.0 mm rotors
- Transmission: 8-speed Shimano Altus
- Extras: Color LCD display, LED head & tail lights with turn signals, full-suspension, 4″ fat tires, smartphone app connectivity, passcode and NFC chip theft protection, and included fenders & rear rack
- Price: $1,299 (on sale at launch for $1,199)
More is more
Heybike has been on a roll lately with its growing lineup of electric bikes, and the new Mars 3.0 looks like it might just be the brand’s most exciting release yet. While it hasn’t yet been available to the public, I got a chance to check it out ahead of time, and based on everything we’ve seen and experienced so far, this full-suspension fat tire folder is a serious upgrade over the previous Mars. In fact, it gives nearly every other 20″ folding e-bike a serious run for its money.
The Mars 3.0, part of Heybike’s new X Series, is all about power, speed, and rider experience. It brings a beefed-up motor system, smoother folding, and suspension that actually works, plus a host of smart tech features that elevate it above your average budget folder. Here’s everything you need to know about Heybike’s newest electric mini-beast.
Powerhouse performance: the Galaxy Perform eDrive
Let’s start with what matters most to a lot of riders: power. The Mars 3.0 is built around Heybike’s proprietary “Galaxy Perform eDrive” system, and it delivers serious muscle. With a 750W nominal motor (peaking at 1,400W) and an eyebrow-raising 95Nm of torque, this thing jumps off the line harder than almost anything in its class.
Heybike claims a 0–20 mph time of just 6 seconds, and from what we’ve seen, that figure just about checks out. It’s quick, it’s punchy, and it’s powerful. That’s thanks to a nicely tuned torque sensor, which gives you more immediate and natural-feeling pedal assist than the old-school cadence systems we still see on far too many folders.
For anyone looking for more thrill, the speed limiter that comes programmed out of the box to 20 mph can be bumped to 28 mph through the Heybike App or the display. And for those who really want to live dangerously (or ride on private property), the display lets you push just a bit past 30 mph when fully unlocked. That turns the Mars 3.0 into a sort of moped-lite, ideal for riders who want motorcycle vibes without the licensing hassle, though it may push into actual moped laws in some states.
Real suspension, real comfort
It’s hard to overstate how rare it is to see real full suspension on a folding e-bike that doesn’t cost several thousand dollars. But the Mars 3.0 doesn’t just slap a spring on the back and call it a day, it uses a legitimate Horst link suspension setup in the rear and a hydraulic fork up front.
The result? A bike that actually absorbs bumps and trail chatter, instead of pogoing around or bottoming out. That makes a huge difference whether you’re tackling dirt trails or just dealing with broken city pavement.
Combine that suspension with the wide fat tires, and you’ve got a genuinely cushy ride, even at higher speeds. It’s not a downhill mountain bike, but for commuting, cruising, and exploring, it’s leagues ahead of other folders in this category.
Smart features that don’t feel gimmicky
Heybike’s recent bikes have been leaning more into tech, and in the Mars 3.0, those features actually add value.
The NFC card startup is one of those little touches that will make the bike feel more premium to some, though I find it to be a hassle. Maybe that’s because I’m usually parking somewhere safe and not worrying about e-bike theft as much, but the hassle of swiping the card or entering the PIN code is just an added step at startup for me.
That said, I’m sure a lot of people will like it, and so here is how it works. Tap the included NFC card to start, just like unlocking a Tesla. Don’t have your card handy? You can also unlock the bike via a PIN code or the Heybike app, which also gives you control over various ride settings like throttle mode, assist levels, and max speed.
The bright, full-color TFT display is easy to read and gives you all the basics: speed, battery, distance, assist level, and more, with a layout that actually feels well designed instead of thrown together.
And speaking of throttle: riders can choose whether they want it to follow the pedal assist level or always run at full power. It’s adjustable in the app and gives you more control over how you want to ride, something more e-bikes should offer. And you can even adjust how extreme you want the throttle or pedal assist ramping to feel. Want gentle starts? Set it at level 1. Want to fly off the line? Choose level 5. It’s a nice little customization feature that lets riders tune their ride instead of being stuck with whatever the company programmed.
Stops as well as it goes
Going fast is fun, but stopping fast is important too. Heybike didn’t skimp here either. The Mars 3.0 gets an upgraded hydraulic disc brake system with thick 2.0 mm rotors. Not only do they provide more bite and better heat management, but they also feel more confidence-inspiring when braking from 30+ mph.
That extra thickness means it can handle more heat and longer braking, which is important when stopping heavy bikes or descending hills, or both.
Braking is smooth, controlled, and powerful, which is crucial for a bike that accelerates this quickly and invites you to push its limits.
Drivetrain and gear shifting
The Mars 3.0 uses a Shimano Altus 8-speed setup, which isn’t top-tier, and frankly is closer to the bottom of the Shimano tier structure, but is fine for a bike at this price point. Shifting is fine and predictable, and the integration with the motor assist system is solid, gear changes are reflected in the pedal response in a way that feels natural and intuitive thanks to the torque sensor.
It’s the kind of drivetrain setup you’d normally expect on a bike like this. It’s not going to change your world, but it gets the job done.
Utility meets design
This thing is both fun and practical. The rear rack is upgraded and sturdier than the previous generation Mars e-bike, and the bike has a high weight capacity (up to 440 lbs total payload for the bike). Whether you’re hauling groceries, gear, or even a kid seat, the Mars 3.0 looks like it can handle it.
The new folding system is fast and easy, with better pivot points and a more ergonomic latch. Heybike says it takes 10 seconds to fold, and that’s not an exaggeration. It actually feels smooth and simple, which isn’t always the case with fat tire folders. Of course, the bike is heavy as hell at 70 lb (32 kg), and so sometimes the tricky part isn’t merely folding it, but manipulating it while folding it. As long as you’re relatively strong, it should be fine. Small women or others with less upper body strength may still have trouble. I can’t really imagine my wife folding this e-bike. She’s a strong woman, but there’s no amount of fortitude that can make up for the back muscles it takes to lift a 70 lb e-bike, even folded in half.
Final thoughts
The Mars 3.0 isn’t more than just a modest upgrade over the previous version. I’d call this a whole new beast. With real power, actual suspension, and smart features that make it more refined and useful, this is a folding e-bike that doesn’t ride like a compromise.
It’s not trying to be ultra-lightweight or minimalist. It’s a chunky, techy, high-speed, full-featured ride that’s more about fun and performance than portability. But hey, it still folds, which checks the box on portability… mostly.
For an incredibly reasonable $1,299 (or promotional price of $1,199) , the Mars 3.0 could end up being one of the best bang-for-your-buck full-suspension e-bikes of the year. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a powerful, full-suspension ride that doesn’t take up a ton of garage space, and who doesn’t mind the occasional speed-induced grin.
If you’re in the market for a go-anywhere, do-anything, rip-through-the-city-and-still-fold-it-up kind of e-bike that sports full suspension, the Heybike Mars 3.0 is absolutely one to watch.
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The latest automotive numbers in Europe were released for August, confirming that Tesla’s decline is continuing, but it has slowed down, with the company “only” being down 22%.
However, the most worrying part for Tesla is that it is happening while battery-electric vehicle sales were up 30% last month.
Tesla’s decline in Europe has been well-documented for the last two years, but it has accelerated significantly in 2025, with Tesla experiencing a monthly decrease of 30-40% year-over-year.
In somewhat good news for the company, the decline has slowed in August.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) released its report for sales in August 2025.
It confirms that Tesla delivered 14,831 vehicles in Europe (EU + EFTA + UK) in August 2025, down 22% from August 2024.
In comparison, the decline is not as alarming as previous months, but it now brings Tesla’s total deliveries year-to-date to 133,857 vehicles compared to 198,474 vehicles in 2024. That’s down -32.6%.
Where things start to get more alarming for Tesla is when you compare it to the broader EV market.
ACEA reports:
The YOY variation in August 2025 showed a rise of 30.2% for battery-electric and 14.1% for hybrid-electric cars, while plug-in-hybrid electric recorded its sixth consecutive month of continuous strong growth with a 54.5% increase.
Here are the results for August and year-to-date in EU + EFTA + UK:
Electrek’s Take
It should be alarming when the world’s biggest electric automaker sees its sales decline 22% in a market where electric vehicle sales are surging 30%.
There’s certainly something wrong that should be addressed.
However, Tesla is not addressing the issue. In fact, Elon Musk even outright dismissed it when asked about it a few months ago. He doesn’t have to, because he has convinced Tesla shareholders that EV sales no longer matter, and it’s about autonomous driving and robots.
Musk even commented on this ACEA report. Reuters published it and claimed that BYD outsold Tesla in the EU. Musk retweeted and commented on a post claiming that Reuters was misleading:
Reuters is not being misleading. BYD outsold Tesla 9,130 units to 8,220 units in the EU last month.
If they had said “Europe” rather than the EU, it would have been misleading, but they didn’t.
Tesla did outsell BYD in broader Europe, if you include EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) and the UK: 14,831 to 11,455 units.
Either way, I don’t know why he would want to get into that conversation whatsoever because in EU+EFTA+UK, BYD was up 215% last month compared to Tesla being down 22%.
Year-to-date, BYD is up 280% compared ot Tesla being down 32%.
At this pace, BYD is likely to outsell Tesla for the entire year, and the Chinese automaker is operating under tariffs in Europe, a market where it has only been present for about three years.
Elon has fully lost the plot.
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Hyundai Motor is recalling nearly 8,000 2023-2025 Genesis GV60 EVs due to a potential issue with the molding at the top of the windshield that may cause it to fall off.
Why is Hyundai recalling Genesis GV60 EVs?
After issuing a recall for nearly 600,000 Pallisade, IONIQ 5, and IONIQ 6 vehicles last week, you can add a few more to the list.
Hyundai is recalling certain 2023-2025 model year Genesis GV60 EVs due to a potential issue with the molding at the top of the windshield, which may peel or even detach while driving.
Those with impacted vehicles may hear a wind noise or whistling coming from the upper part of the windshield. After running internal tests, Hyundai found the issue was due to insufficient adhesion from the supplier.
Although no crashes or injuries were reported, Hyundai is aware of 112 reports of molding detachment from October 26, 2022, through August 8, 2025.
Hyundai has since fixed the issue and estimates that only 1% of the 7,855 Genesis GV60 EVs being recalled actually have the defect.
The company expects to mail owner notification letters on November 17, 2025. GV60 owners can contact Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741 with questions. Hyundai’s recall number is 028G.
Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit NHTSA.gov for more information. The NHTSA campaign number for the recall is 25V624.
According to Cox Automotive, Hyundai sold 3,400 Genesis GV60 models in the US in 2023, 2,866 in 2024, and another 1,192 in the first half of 2025. So, that would be just about all Genesis GV60s sold in the US from 2023 through the first few months of 2025.
After dropping the Electrified G80 from its lineup earlier this year, Genesis now sells just two EVs in the US: the GV60 and Electrified GV70.
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Environment
What we know about Rivian software update 2025.34 including highway assist upgrades [Update]
![What we know about Rivian software update 2025.34 including highway assist upgrades [Update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/Rivian-sofwatre-update-2025.34jpg.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
A new software update from Rivian was sighted earlier this month, and it’s being prepared for a full rollout to Gen 2 R1S and R1T EVs. The latest Rivian update includes upgrades to the American automaker’s Enhanced Highway Assist driving, more energy-conscious home charging capabilities, and a slew of other improvements outlined below.
Update September 25, 2025: Rivian has confirmed the details of software update 2025.34 outlined below. However, we still do not have a concrete timeline for when the update will roll out to current R1S and R1T owners.
Like most software-defined vehicles, Rivian models like the R1S and R1T receive periodic updates over-the-air (OTA). As a Rivian owner and an enthusiast, software updates are often exciting news to report on, as they usually result in new features or abilities to existing technology or enable various efficiencies (and bug fixes fixes, of course).
Over the past six months, we’ve seen updates like 2025.10, which rolled out to the public in early April, and 2025.14, which updated the BEV’s Highway Assist feature. In late May, RivianTrackr shared that software update 2025.18 was rolling out internally before launching wide to Rivian owners, and it was one of the more robust rollouts we had seen for a while.
Most recently, a similar site called RivianRoamer has reported on a new software update, 2025.34, which has already been spotted before it makes its way out to the public
Rivian software update adds new “Co-Steer” feature
Per reports, Rivian software update 2025.34 is in the works in a beta version before it inevitably makes its way to the community of R1S and R1T owners. That being said, please note that any of these listed features or improvements could change or be removed altogether before the update goes out wide.
The first notable upgrade pertains to the Enhanced Highway Assist ADAS in Gen 2 Rivian models. Right now, the pending software update will enable a new assist feature called “Co-Steer,” which will allow a driver to adjust their given position within a lane using “gentle steering inputs” without the Enhanced Highway Assist disengaging.
Speaking of Enhanced Highway Assist, Rivian shared that the availability of the ADAS feature has increased by up to 50%, particularly on urban and suburban highways. Lastly, the 2025.34 update includes a new perception model that improves lane centering performance, especially on curves.
Additionally, Rivian’s latest pending software update will allow your vehicle to automatically charge itself during off-peak times at your home when electricity is cheaper, ensuring your vehicle is ready when you need it.
According to the report, “smart scheduling” can cut annual home EV charging costs by 20% or more and increase your use of clean energy. You can enable this feature and monitor everything through your account in the Rivian app (version 3.5 or later).
Other updates and big fixes from 2025.34 (subject to change)
- Audio improvements (Gen 2 Rivian models)
- Fine-tuned equalization and delays to make the bass feel richer and more impactful
- Soundstage improvements for better localization, separation, and layering
- Improved blending of Dolby Atmos content for all listening positions
- Performance improvements
- Updated and improved media apps, including increased touchscreen responsiveness
- Improved Navigation stability and responsiveness
- Improved responsiveness to mobile commands while vehicle is asleep
- Resolved rare issue that prevented users from accepting the terms of service for Rivian Navigation with Google Maps
- Fixed issue that kept Gear Guard video thumbnails from displaying properly on the Motion Cam and Incidents screens
- Resolved rare issue where the tonneau cover position is displayed incorrectly on certain screens of Gen 1 R1T models
- Resolved rare issue that caused fog lights to turn off and exterior lights to revert to Auto mode (Gen 1)
- Fixed issue that caused trip energy and efficiency data to fluctuate unexpectedly
- Improvements to the accuracy of battery range on arrival estimates, including adding location air density as a factor for locations at higher elevations
- Resolved rare issue that prevented the door handles from presenting for an unlock request while Car Wash mode is active (Gen 2 EVs)
- Reduced excessive blower noise during climate control start-up in mild conditions while maintaining cooling performance in extreme temperatures (Gen 2 EVs)
- Fixed rare issue that caused cabin conditioning requests initiated from the Rivian mobile app to fail on the first attempt (Gen 2 EVs)
- Additional improvements for 12V battery health detection, including in-vehicle and mobile app notifications to alert you when the 12V battery needs to be replaced (Gen 2 EVs)
That’s all for now. As a reminder, the above release notes pertain to a beta version of the software update, and 2025.34 could be different when it reaches Rivian owners in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for it!
In the meantime, I recommend scheduling a test drive with Rivian if you haven’t done so yet. See if you can get behind the wheel of an upcoming R2. It’s a winner!
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