Fucare Scorpio review: A fun fat tire electric bike with moto-style suspension
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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The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.
The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:
- The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.
If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.
LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.
LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.
Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.
As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.
When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.
Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. 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. They have 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 Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.
Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January
Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.
Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.
This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.
On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.
In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.
Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.
On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.
If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.
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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 non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, 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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