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As electric fat tire e-bikes become increasingly popular, more designers are getting creative with their suspension setups to differentiate themselves from the sea of other e-bikes out there. Now, the Fucare Scorpio takes a classic dual rear suspension design and applies it in a unique way to electric bicycles.

And it raises the question: Can you have too much suspension?

Fucare Scorpio Video Review

Fucare Scorpio Tech Specs

  • Motor: 750W (1,400W peak-rated) rear hub motor
  • Top speed: 32 mph (51 km/h)
  • Range: 30-60 miles (50-100 km)
  • Battery: 48V 20Ah (960 Wh)
  • Weight: 84.4 lb (38.3 kg)
  • Load capacity: 400 lb (181 kg)
  • Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy
  • Brakes: Dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes
  • Extras: Color display, front and rear LED lights, included rear rack and full fenders, front and rear suspension, kickstand

Outfitted for multi-purpose riding

The Fucare Scorpio is obviously a multi-role e-bike. They set it up with front/rear LED lighting, full fenders, and a rear rack, showcasing utility and commuter-style riding gear. But then again, it’s got full suspension and fat tires with dual-sport blocky tread for better off-road performance.

So this isn’t just a single-purpose electric bike, but rather something of a dual-sport electric moped, in my opinion.

There’s also the high-speed operation that is capable of reaching up to 28 mph (45 km/h) – or technically 32 mph (51 km/h) in unlocked mode. Few people ride that fast off-road, meaning Fucare likely gave the bike that much speed as a nod to road riders who want to treat the Scorpio as a small commuter motorbike.

And all of that sounds great – especially for the rather modest price of $1,399. But then there’s the suspension to talk about.

So much suspension

On the face of things, the suspension sounds great. There’s a conventional suspension fork up front and a pair of shocks in the rear. The issue is that those dual rear shocks, which seem to harken back to classic dual-coilover rear suspension design popular on motorcycles and mopeds of yesteryear, don’t seem to fit the bike.

It’s not that the design isn’t sound. Dual shocks is a tried and true setup. The issue seems to be the spring rate of those shocks. I’m not 100% sure, but I have a hunch that they forgot to halve the spring rate when they doubled the suspension.

I’m only 150 lb, which isn’t even half of the 400 lb rated max load of the bike, but I can barely make the rear suspension budge. If I jump on it, I can get a small amount of flex in the tail, but that’s it. It feels almost like a hard-tail bike when I’m riding off-road, which isn’t that bad considering 4-inch fat tires can make even hard-tail bikes feel pretty good off-road. But if you were expecting that two shock absorbers equals twice the shock absorption, then that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

The front suspension feels comparatively great and right where I’d want it to be. I rode this bike off road a lot, from dirt trails to no trails at all, even straight up overlanding. I never felt like the bike couldn’t handle it, especially with its 750W rear motor putting out 1,400W of peak power. But I also found that I would often raise out of the saddle to make the ride more comfortable and avoid getting taint-punched by the saddle.

So the bike seems to work well for both on and off-road riding, and has good performance in both scenarios. The powerful motor offers good acceleration and a fast top speed, though there are some downsides to the bikeas well. For example, the pedal assist lag is quite long on this e-bike, sometimes taking a full two seconds or so to kick on the motor power when you start pedaling. Many riders will only use the throttle and so that won’t be an issue, but if you like to pedal sometimes like me, then the pedal assist lag at startup can be a downer.

Speaking of the pedaling, the derailleur for the pedal drivetrain isn’t very high-end. It’s a Shimano Tourney, which is fine, but just not very robust. For a $1,399 e-bike though, it’s probably par for the course and will serve most people well – even if it needs some occasional tuning.

And lastly, I was surprised that the DYISLAND hydraulic disc brakes weren’t as grabby as I had expected. Perhaps some better brake pads with stickier braking compound could help. But for hydraulic stoppers, these just weren’t the strongest I’ve tested. The adjustable levers are a nice touch, but I’d rather just have brakes that stop on a dime with a slight pull.

On the upside though, the bike looks great and I really like that trellis frame. Not only does it protect and cradle the battery well, but it likely makes it even harder for thieves to work around the battery and try to break it loose in order to steal it. And on that note, the frame gives you a thousand different places to put your bike lock in it, which is nice for when you roll up next to weird-shaped bike racks and need a few different options for locking points.

Speaking of locks, lately I’ve been testing the Foldylock Forever and have found it to be my favorite bike lock in a long time. This thing has become my primary go-to bike lock. It’s well made and has insanely good security – likely the best folding lock on the market. I say that without exaggeration, as I’ve tested a pile of them!

Sum it up for me!

To put a bow on this review, I’d say that at $1,399 for the Fucare Scorpio, you’re getting your money’s worth. I’d have loved some softer springs in the rear suspension and perhaps some sticker brake pads, but the bike rides well and is a ton of fun for cruising on the streets or in the dirt.

You could always swap the rear suspension yourself if you were so inclined, but starting with a frame and platform that is powerful while offering long range is important since those are traits that are hard to upgrade yourself, so it’s great to see Fucare give you those basics right out of the gate.

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Tesla Cybertruck deliveries halted amid problem with giant windshield wiper

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Tesla Cybertruck deliveries halted amid problem with giant windshield wiper

Tesla has reportedly halted Cybertruck deliveries amid a problem with the motor of its giant windshield wiper.

The Cybertruck is equipped with the biggest wiper put on a consumer vehicle.

It’s the result of Tesla’s design, which aimed to have a straight line from the front-end all the way to the apex of the roof – resulting in nowhere to hide wipers between the hood and the windshield.

Instead, Tesla opted to have a single giant exposed wiper with a vertical resting position for aerodynamic reasons.

In my review of the Cybertruck, I noted that we had some problems with it, like starting on its own for no reason and staying down as a resting position rather than up. However, I chalked this up as being due to Tesla’s notoriously bad auto windshield wiper system, which is common on all Tesla vehicles – not just the Cybertruck.

Now, many Cybertruck buyers are reporting that Tesla has delayed their deliveries, indicating a roughly week-long halt on deliveries, and some were told by Tesla that it had to do with the windshield wiper motor (via Cybertruck Owners Club).

Some buyers were told that Tesla would have to replace the windshield wiper motor on all Cybertruck, but this has yet to be confirmed.

No recall notice has been released yet.

Electrek’s Take

As I previously reported, we had some issues with ours last month when reviewing the Cybertruck.

I chalked it up to the terrible Tesla auto wiper, but now that I think about it, it’s possible that it wasn’t that.

Tesla’s auto wipers are known to start when they shouldn’t and don’t start when they should. The Cybertruck’s wipers were doing that, but they were also starting and stopping at the bottom rather than at the top position and just staying there.

I’m not sure if it has to do with this or if it’s completely unrelated. I expect that we will learn more in the next few days.

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E-quipment highlight: Bobcat pitches electric telehandler concept

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E-quipment highlight: Bobcat pitches electric telehandler concept

Bobcat unveiled the all-new TL25.60e electric telehandler concept at Intermat last month, with a 2.5 ton rated capacity, three electric motors, and the promise of unmatched energy efficiency and performance that’s objectively superior to diesel.

The Bobcat TL26.60e gets its energy efficient edge from its “actively cooled” li-ion batteries, which are designed to deliver consistent performance in any weather and help fleet operators maintain low running costs while maximizing efficiency and, as a consequence, savings.

Those batteries send power to three separate electric motors, one each to power drive, the rotating superstructure/cab, and the boom/attachments. Bobcat says the arrangement helps its electric telehandler concept consume energy only when it’s needed, and claims that the setup provides immediate responsiveness for all the machine’s movements. That kind of quiet, vibration-free precision control should make the TL26.60e’s operator cab a great place to work from.

Speaking of the cab, it’s the same one found in Bobcat’s larger TLS models, despite the TL26.60e’s smaller footprint. The compact nature of the the machine’s electric components means there’s room for stuff like that – and, as a consequence, more room for operators.

“At Bobcat, we are committed to innovative design that prioritizes both cutting-edge technology and operator wellbeing,” says Vijay Nerva, Innovation Lead, Bobcat EMEA. “Our integration of ergonomics and digitization, exemplified by the transparent T-OLED screen, allows us to introduce customizable, interactive features without compromising the comfort and spacious design of our cabs.”

The TL26.60e features a top speed of 25 km/h, a 6 meter lifting height, and a 2.5 ton lifting capacity. The liquid-cooled battery has a 30 kWh capacity, which should be good for a full shift at most low-speed job sites.

Electrek’s Take

Bobcat’s electric telehandler concept is still just that, but as more and more construction companies come up agains no-drip job sites, low emissions zones, tightening noise regulations, and the ESG goals of both corporate and government clients, it seems like only a matter of time before machines like this become more the rule than the exception.

SOURCES | IMAGES: Bobcat, via Heavy Equipment Guide, Canada.

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Chevy cuts Equinox EV lease prices by nearly $140 per month

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Chevy cuts Equinox EV lease prices by nearly 0 per month

If you were looking to lease Chevy’s new all-electric Equinox, it just got a lot cheaper. Chevy cut Equinox EV lease prices by nearly $140 per month. With new offers, the Chevy Equinox EV can be leased for as little as $379 per month.

After kicking off Equinox EV deliveries last month, Chevy is already introducing significant savings opportunities.

On Chevy’s website, 2024 Equinox EV lease prices start at just $379 per month. The deal is for 36 months, with $3,198 due at signing. It includes 10,000 miles a year and is based on an MSRP of $43,295. GM included $500 off for qualified lessees.

With an effective rate of $468, the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV is nearly $100 cheaper per month to lease than the Tesla Model Y.

According to online research firm CarsDirect, Tesla Model Y lease rates went up $50 this month. The Long Range model now starts at $449 with $4,143 due at signing, or $564 per month.

Meanwhile, the RS trim is significantly discounted. The Chevy Equinox RS can be leased for $429 for 36 months. With $3,109 due at signing, that amounts to $515 per month.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-lease-prices
2024 Chevy Equinox EV 3RS (Source: GM)

Chevy Equinox EV lease prices drop to just $379/mo

Previously, the RS trim had an effective cost of $651 per month ($569 for 39 months and $3,209 due at signing), meaning it’s $136 cheaper per month to lease.

Based on CarsDirect data, GM raised the 36-month residual values on the RS model to 75% from 68%, while the lease rate dropped from 7.3% to 5.5%.

Chevy Equinox EV trim

Starting Price
1LT FWD $34,995
2LT FWD $43,295
2RS FWD $44,795
3LT FWD $45,295
3RS FWD $46,795
Chevy Equinox EV prices (including $1,395 destination fee)

Chevy’s current 2LT FWD is the cheapest model hitting dealerships, starting at $43,295. The lower-priced $34,995 will be available to order later this year. All trims are eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

Although this is a significant deal, Chevy Blazer EV lease prices are even more appealing. The 2024 Chevy Blazer EV is listed at $369 per month for 24 months. With $1,679 due upfront, the effective lease rate is $439 per month, only $10 more than the gas-powered model.

Chevy-Equinox-EV-lease-prices
Chevy Equinox EV 1LT interior (Source: GM)

Chevy isn’t the only one cutting EV lease prices. Honda slashed lease prices on its first electric SUV, the Prologue. The 2024 Honda Prologue now starts at $399 per month for 36 months (with $3,999 due at signing).

If you’re in the market for a new EV, you can take advantage of significant savings opportunities. Use our links below to find deals on popular models at a dealer near you.

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