Rad Power Bikes unveils 4 new e-bikes & faster speeds in biggest shakeup yet
Rad Power Bikes, the Seattle-based electric bike maker that spent years at the top of the US e-bike sellers list, has occasionally rolled out major updates alongside the launch of a new model. But today the company is announcing the biggest shakeup in its history, simultaneously debuting two brand new e-bike models, two majorly updated e-bike models, and new battery technology that could help push the industry towards safer batteries. The Rad lineup is now welcoming the new Radster Road and Radster Trail e-bikes, as well as the RadWagon 5 and the RadExpand 5 Plus models.
As Rad Power Bikes CEO Phil Molyneux explained:
“With even greater versatility in our fleet and new, innovative e-bike battery technology that will elevate the industry in its entirety, we’re taking a significant step towards a world where e0bikes are built for everyone and have the power to do just about anything. Over the last two years, I have worked closely with our supply chain and quality leaders, overhauling our processes to make this next generation of e-bikes the very best for our riders. This launch marks the latest step we’ve taken to ensure the long-term success of both the e-bike space and Rad.”
In addition to the new e-bike models, Rad Power Bikes is unveiling its new Safe Shield Battery. The redesigned battery was developed to mitigate growing concerns over battery safety by incorporating thermal-resistant technology.
In addition to being UL-certified, the batteries use potted electronics construction to encapsulate the battery cells and better protect them from damage, moisture, and other disruptions that could cause short circuits.
The battery is rated at 48V 15Ah with 720Wh of capacity, making it not only the company’s safest and most advanced e-bike battery, but Rad’s largest capacity and longest-range battery to date.
The Safe Shield Battery will debut on Rad’s newly unveiled e-bike models, but will also be available as an upgrade to many of the company’s existing e-bikes.
The first major addition to the Rad Power Bikes lineup announced today is the Radster family, which consists of the Radster Trail and the Radster Road models.
The two bikes share many similarities, differing largely in their use cases. The Radster Trail has wider 3-inch “mid-fat” tires, while the Radster Road has narrower 2.2-inch tires. The bikes also have slightly different frames and fenders that are each suited to different terrain and styles of riding.
Ultimately though, the Radster e-bikes are more similar than they are different. Each includes several new features, such as a new color LCD displays with USB-C charging port, rear turn signals, a torque sensor for more natural and responsive pedal assist, IPX6 water resistance, hydraulic disc brakes, NFC key-fob for locking the bike without a physical key, a thru-axle front wheel hub for stronger and more robust connection, a more powerful 200-lumen headlight, the new Safe Shield Battery, and come in two frame sizes of Regular and Large.
Perhaps the biggest update of all though is the inclusion of Class 3 capabilities. Both bikes come with multiple speed settings, allowing riders to reach up to 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle operation, as well as two additional settings that can be unlocked to reach 25 mph or 28 mph (40 or 45 km/h) on pedal assist.
This marks the first time Rad has produced e-bikes that surpass the 20 mph Class 2 speed limit, ushering in a new higher-speed era for the company.
Both the Radster Road and Radster Trail are priced at US $1,999 and are available now on the company’s website.
Rad Power Bikes also launched the new Rad Expand 5 Plus, which takes the brand’s entry-level folding model and upgrades it with several higher-end components and features in line with Rad’s more premium “Plus” family of e-bikes.
The Rad Expand 5 Plus also gets the new Safe Shield Battery, color LCD screen with USB-C charging port, IPX6 water-resistance, rear turn signals, hydraulic disc brakes, torque sensor pedal assist, 200-lumen headlight, and a bolt-on front wheel hub for a stronger connection.
The 20 mph (32 km/h) e-bike includes a 50mm travel hydraulic suspension fork, 20″x4″ fat tires, and features a folding design that makes it easier to transport in a vehicle or store in a tight space.
The Rad Expand 5 Plus is priced at US $1,899.
Rad Power Bikes also unveiled its newest cargo bike, the RadWagon 5.
The new model takes advantage of many of Rad’s feature upgrades, such as that new color LCD display with USB-C charging port, torque sensor pedal assist, IPX6 weather resistance, turn signals, thru-axle front wheel hub, and 3 top speed settings maxing out at 28 mph (45 km/h).
The bike is rated for up to 375 lb (170 kg) of cargo capacity, making it easy to carry passengers or plenty of extra cargo in back. The frame has also been updated with a more “condensed” design that also lowers the center of gravity to improve handling. New running boards and deck pads will also be available, offering a more stylish and comfortable ride for rear passengers.
The RadWagon 5 is priced at US $2,199 and is already available on Rad’s website.
Electrek’s Take
Wow, there’s a lot to unpack here. I’ll try to hit these many different points succinctly.
Rad Power Bikes Safe Shield Battery: I think it’s hard to overstate how pivotal this will be for the e-bike industry. Potted batteries are the single safest way to build e-bike batteries. To be frank, UL certification is nice but it doesn’t mean what most people think it does, and several UL-listed batteries have met a fiery end. UL-listing can give added peace of mind, but as we’ve heard from battery experts before, it’s not that hard to achieve and doesn’t mean the battery is actually that safe. Potted batteries are the true best practice for physical safety, and they’re almost non-existent outside of Luna Cycle’s potted e-bike batteries. So today’s debut from Rad is major news.
Class 3 speed: Wow, it’s about time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see Rad finally get the need… the need for speed. I think their hand was basically forced here, though. Similar to how throttle-less e-bikes are hamstrung in sales among American riders, Class 2 e-bikes are starting to get passed over by many American customers who prefer the option of riding faster when and where appropriate.
New electronics: It’s cool to see major electronic updates like NFC key fob for unlocking, color display with USB-C device charging, rear turn signals, etc. None of this is groundbreaking, and to be honest we’ve seen it all (perhaps except the USB-C device charging) on cheaper e-bikes for years, but it’s great to see Rad hop on board with what is presumably a better quality version of many of these components we’ve seen before. The big new thing though is the torque sensor, which is truly great to see. This is another feature that Rad took its sweet time on, but now it’s here and I think many riders will be discovering just how much nicer a good torque sensor can be.
New mechanics: Hydraulic disc brakes now being employed basically across the entire higher-end Rad line is big, as well as the new more robust front axles – even if they’re largely there because the lawyers like them now. The new frame on the RadWagon 5 looks interesting, I’m excited to review all of these to see how they feel.
To sum up my feelings, here’s what I’d say. The spec sheets all look incredible. The prices are high, but that’s Rad’s new MO. It appears the company doesn’t want to compete on price, which is probably a smart move when Lectric is dominating there and plenty of fly-by-night e-bike companies pop up every week with cheap new e-bikes.
Instead, Rad’s new strategy appears to be competing on substance, namely with higher-end parts and more sophisticated design. That means higher prices, and the jury is still out on how the e-bike market at large will respond to these new models. It’s a gamble since Rad spent years leading in the entry-level price segment before it found itself getting more elbows in its ribs from all the other competition crowding into that segment. So now that the company is aiming for a spot higher up on the quality ladder, we’ll have to see if Rad sticks the landing.
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A new bill submitted to the Oregon Legislative Assembly seeks to ban street-legal Class 3 electric bicycles from bike lanes in the state.
Class 3 electric bicycles include those that can reach motor-assisted speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h), whereas Class 1 and 2 electric bicycles can only reach 20 mph (32 km/h) under motor assist.
Under Senate Bill 471, the proposed legislation would make it an offense if a rider “operates a moped or a Class 3 electric assisted bicycle upon a sidewalk, a bicycle path or a bicycle lane.” Under Oregon law, traditional pedal bicycles can be legally operated on sidewalks unless restricted by a local ordinance, but e-bikes are already banned from operating on sidewalks.
Thus, the proposed legislation is effectively a ban on electric bikes capable of speeds exceeding 20 mph from being used in bike lanes. Instead, such bikes would only be permitted for use on public roadways.
In addition, Section 2 of the bill seeks to remove key protections for cyclists operating such 20+ mph electric bikes in bike lanes. Under current law, a motorist can be cited for failing to yield right of way to a cyclist in a bike lane when the motorist crosses over the bike lane, such as when crossing into a driveway, parking lot, etc.
The proposed legislation would remove the requirement for motorists to yield the right of way to cyclists on Class 3 e-bikes in bike lanes.
It should be noted that drivers cannot visually distinguish a Class 3 e-bike from other classes of e-bikes being ridden in a bike lane because the difference is performance-based.
Electrek’s Take
Sure, I support this law, as long as we can apply the logic equally. If the logic goes that Class 3 (28 mph maximum) e-bikes have the ability to be ridden faster than much of the traffic flow in a bike lane and thus should be banned in such bike lanes, then we might as well just ban cars capable of highway speeds from being operated on city streets. “Can your car go faster than 40 mph? Sorry, you know the rules. Keep that thing off city streets.”
It makes sense, right? Same logic. If it *can* go faster, it shouldn’t be allowed to operate there at all.
I mean, if a 60 lb e-bike that has the potential to go 8 mph faster than another e-bike is such a menace to public health and safety, then oh lordy what must we think of 5,000 lb vehicles that can easily exceed 120 mph with just a two-inch deviation of a distracted driver’s big toe? Surely we’ll be kicking those out of cities any day now, right? Right, guys? Guys…?
Ok, let’s get serious now. This law is awful and the legislators that conjured it up should be put on a 21 mph bicycle and forced to spend a couple minutes riding with their handlebar inches from 40+ mph cars to truly understand what real danger is. Then let’s hear them try to tell us how it’s a Class 3 e-bike that is the true danger.
I’m not trying to say that we should completely ignore that sometimes people get hit by an e-bike. It happens. It has even been lethal on exceedingly rare occasions. But you know what happens on regular occasions? Cyclists and pedestrians getting hit and killed by cars. So instead of spending legislative effort trying to push e-bikes back out onto roads, maybe we should expend some effort keeping car fenders off of cyclists’ bodies. Or invest in more bike lanes. Or increase enforcement of traffic violations for all road users. Or increase awareness education for drivers and riders alike. There are so many good answers, but none of them can be found in this bill.
via: KMTR
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Environment
Polestar expects profits in 2025 with 5 GT launch, confirms Polestar 7 will be an entry level compact SUV
Swedish and Chinese EV automaker Polestar has shared an updated business strategy, looking to 2025 and beyond as its next chapter in growth. Per the release detailed below, Polestar is expecting increased sales volume, especially as its long-promised Polestar 5 GT is set to launch this year. Additionally, the automaker confirmed its Polestar 7 model will be a compact SUV and its most affordable BEV to date.
Polestar remains a growing name in the EV segment, and more and more people are becoming aware of the Geely-owned brand as it brings more models to market. Its two most recent were the Polestar 3 SUV and 4 crossover, built in the US and China, respectively. According to Polestar, those two models have gained “strong product momentum,” accounting for 56% of orders in Q4 2024.
Polestar looks to ride that wave into 2025 and add to its impetus with the launch of the Polestar 5, a sports sedan based on the automaker’s Precept concept EV that is targeting up to 884 hp and will attempt to compete against some of the big boys, like the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.
While it won’t be part of Polestar’s 2025 launches, the automaker’s executives have divulged some new details about a new model called the Polestar 7, which was teased back in April 2024.
Polestar 7 to replace the 2 as its entry-level model
According to a release published on its investor page, Polestar expects a fruitful 2025 that will set the town for its revamped business strategy through at least 2027. Per the automaker, it is targeting compound annual retail sales volume growth of 30-35% over the next three years and positive adjusted EBITDA in 2025. Furthermore, Polestar executives expect positive free cash flow after investments in 2027. Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller elaborated:
With Scandinavian design, performance and a premium brand, Polestar has successfully positioned itself in the global automotive market. We have three outstanding cars on the road and a growing, passionate customer base.We are building on the strong Polestar brand with design and performance at its core.
But significant changes are needed to make this well-respected progressive brand a successful and viable business. We are speeding up our retail expansion and commercial transformation, whilst adjusting our future model line-up and significantly reducing our cost base. Both in terms of volumes and financials, we expect 2025 to be the strongest year in Polestar’s history.
Part of Polestar’s success in 2025 will depend on the start of sales of the Polestar 5, the automaker’s first model to sit atop an 800V platform. According to the company, that launch is expected in the second half of this year. Until then, Polestar will continue to push sales of its current lineup, which consists of the Polestar 2, 3, and 4.
While the Polestar 2 will be remembered as the BEV that put the brand on the map, its days are unfortunately numbered. Previous Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said the company intends to phase out the 2 sedans around 2027, and its successor will be a new model called the Polestar 7.
We hadn’t heard much about the Polestar 7 since then, but the company confirmed today that it will arrive as a premium compact SUV. Additionally, we’ve learned the Polestar 7 will be the brand’s first model built in Europe. With production footprints in China, South Korea, and the US, Europe is a natural next step in expansion, especially for an affordable, compact SUV the Polestar 7 promises to be, because that is such a popular segment in the EU.
The Polestar 7 will also represent a new design strategy for the automaker. From that launch onward, it will “gradually move from a multi-platform approach to one single architecture, reducing complexity, costs, and investments.”
While we’ve learned what style of BEV the Polestar 7 will be, we don’t know much else at this point. With the expectation that we won’t see anything come to market until 2027 at the earliest, our immediate focus will remain on the upcoming launch of the Polestar 5 in 2025, followed by the Polestar 6 roadster convertible in 2026.
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