Major e-bike maker hits pause on US imports after new tariffs
In a move that underscores the growing instability in international e-bike trade, premium electric bike maker Riese & Müller has paused all e-bike shipments to the United States, citing unpredictable steel tariffs as the final straw.
The German brand, known for its high-end urban and cargo e-bikes, informed US dealers this week that it is halting exports for the foreseeable future. While the company pointed to the recent reinstatement of a 50% tariff on certain steel components from overseas, including Germany, the broader issue here seems to be the chaotic and ever-shifting tariff landscape surrounding e-bike imports.
“We need to take a few days to carefully evaluate this situation and its implications before proceeding with further steps,” explained the company in an email to its dealers in the US, according to Bicycle Retailer.
This isn’t the first time tariffs have disrupted the flow of electric two-wheelers into the US. The Trump administration’s Section 301 tariffs targeting Chinese goods initially shook up the industry during the administration’s first term, hitting Chinese-made e-bikes and components with 25% duties before being temporarily suspended. Those tariffs whipped back and forth as exclusions came and went, then became a double whammy after the Trump administration’s “reciprocal” tariffs added even more hardships to e-bike importers in the US. And now, as of July 1, additional steel tariffs have expanded the uncertainty.
What’s unusual in Riese & Müller’s case is that most e-bikes – even expensive ones – use relatively little steel compared to aluminum. Frames, forks, wheels, and most structural components are increasingly made from aluminum alloys or carbon fiber. But with the tariff code system as vague and inconsistently enforced as it is, it seems R&M simply doesn’t want to take the risk of unexpected import costs – or the administrative mess that comes with it, including having to account for how much of a bike is produced from steel components and what the value of those components proves to be.
The impact on the US market will likely be minor in volume; Riese & Müller is a premium but somewhat boutique brand with a loyal yet small customer base. Still, this is a canary in the coal mine. If even premium brands are choosing to step away from the US market over tariff unpredictability, what happens when larger, mass-market brands start running into similar issues?
For now, dealers in the US are being told to sell through existing stock and not take additional orders until the company can determine whether it will be able to continue importing e-bikes into the US. But if the trade war tariffs contineu, this may not be the last premium brand to throw in the towel – at least temporarily.
Electrek’s Take
This isn’t just about one German e-bike brand putting things on pause – it’s a red flag for the industry. While Riese & Müller may be small in terms of US volume, their decision shows how unpredictable tariffs, even on seemingly minor components, can create enough uncertainty to shut down an entire market channel. Most e-bikes are made primarily from aluminum, not steel, but when customs enforcement can interpret tariff codes in vague or inconsistent ways, no brand wants to gamble on a five-figure shipment getting hit with a surprise 25-50% fee.
What’s more concerning is that this adds to a growing stack of trade policy hurdles facing e-bike makers: China-focused tariffs, broader “reciprocal” tariffs, battery import duties, and now steel restrictions hitting European brands too. There’s no coherent strategy here, just a patchwork of protectionist measures that hurt importers, confuse dealers, and raise prices for consumers. If the US wants to promote micromobility and clean transportation, it’s going to need smarter policies than this.
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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.
Just kidding!
It’s the San Francisco Bay Area, of course.
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.
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With its new EA line of variable speed industrial air compressors and superior energy efficiency from their advanced electric motors, industrial equipment Bobcat is setting a new standard for job site performance.
Designed for top-tier flow rates and maximum energy efficiency, Bobcat says its new EA lineup of variable speed compressors – the EA30VS, EA50VS, EA75VS, and EA100VS – is built to meet the demanding needs of modern industrial operations. But, crucially, the new EA line is about more than efficient motors, quiet running, and precise speed variation. It’s about tech.
To that end, the EA Series is equipped with a full range of “smart” operational features controlled through a 7″, full color LED controller display for intuitive operation. This system allows connection to, and intelligent optimization of, up to three additional compressors, ensuring the entire compressed air system operates at peak performance based on demand so perators can easily customize performance with programmable scheduling by date, time and pressure bands – delivering precision control with minimal effort.
And, of course, the whole system is backed by Bobcat’s global warranties, international parts and dealer networks, and commitment to durability and service.
“The new EA Series represents a leap forward in industrial air compression technology for Bobcat,” said Cody Blythe, Bobcat product manager. “These machines offer exceptional flow rates paired with peak energy efficiency, providing our customers with a powerful solution that lowers their total cost of ownership through reduced electricity usage.”
Bobcat says its new EA line of variable speed compressors are available now at select Bobcat distributors, contact your local dealer for pricing.
Electrek’s Take
Bobcat is leading the charge to decarbonize job sites, delivering quiet, smooth-running machines for operators who value safety, performance, precision, and sustainability. The company is also among the few manufacturers replacing hydraulic systems with fully electric ones, further reducing oil use and eliminating idle warm‑up time.
You love to see it.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Bobcat.
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LiveWire, the electric motorcycle brand spun out of Harley-Davidson, has just given us a closer look than ever at its upcoming lower-cost, smaller-format electric motorcycles ahead of their larger unveiling at the Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA) next week.
While we got our first glimpse of the new machines earlier this summer, spotting a street and trail version of the smaller electric motorbikes, now we have a name for the models and a few more details.
Officially called the S4 Honcho, the new model will be a 125-cc equivalent that will be available in both a street-legal version capable of being operated by riders who possess a moped/light motorcycle license in Europe or a motorcycle license in the US, and a license-free off-road version.
“The S4 Honcho Street will qualify for A1 licenses in Europe and the UK and M-endorsement in the U.S., offering lightweight, urban-friendly electric mobility with intuitive performance and removable batteries,” explained the company.
The bikes appear to be powered by a centrally-mounted, chain-driving electric motor and a pair of removable batteries accessed by flipping up the seat.
LiveWire has remained fairly tight-lipped regarding the major tech specs for the bikes, as well as the price, but we do get a look at the dual removable batteries thanks to a new image posted to the company’s website.
There, we can see what appears suspiciously similar to a pair of KYMCO Ionex batteries, which would make sense given LiveWire’s close partnership with the Taiwanese scooter giant.
A couple years ago at EICMA I had the chance to check out KYMCO’s new Ionex batteries and e-scooter platform firsthand, which you can see in the video below.
While excitement has been building for LiveWire’s smaller electric motorcycles, the full unveiling of the bikes’ performance figures as well as the price tag will prove critical for gauging whether or not the mini-bikes could be a major turning point for LiveWire’s elusive profitability.
But the company isn’t betting it all on one horse, or one Honcho. Also in attendance at the show will be LiveWire’s full-scale concept of an electric maxiscooter built on the same S2 architecture that powers the company’s currently best-selling models, the S2 Del Mar, S2 Mulholland, and S2 Alpinista.
That scooter, built in partnership with KYMCO, will leverage the company’s fully developed S2 platform to create a more comfortable, high-performance urban and suburban-oriented model.
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