Lectric ONE shockingly unveiled as low-cost premium e-bike with auto-shifting gearbox
In what is likely to the biggest shock unveiling in the e-bike industry so far this year, leading electric bike maker Lectric Ebikes has just rolled out the new Lectric ONE. Positioned as a premium commuter e-bike in the budget space, the new model marks equally new territory for the low-cost e-bike company turned premium space competitor.
To understand how industry-shaking this e-bike launch is, you have to understand the company behind it. Lectric Ebikes’ entire MO has been to find highly-demanded niches in the US e-bike market and then roll out new models at a fraction of the cost of competitors. That’s how we got crowd favorites like the $799 Lectric XP Lite and the $999 Lectric XP 3.0, known as the best-selling e-bike in the country.
Now the company is doing it again, but targeting a much… much fancier type of e-bike segment. That means that the traditional budget-level derailleurs and chains are now being replaced by top-tier European transmissions and carbon fiber-reinforced drive belts.
Look no further than the Lectric ONE’s auto-shifting electric gearbox from Pinion, a German manufacturer whose same gearboxes routinely land on $10,000+ e-bikes such as those from Swiss manufacturer Stromer. Pinion’s highly acclaimed bike gearboxes are modeled after automotive transmissions and are widely seen as the holy grail of bicycle transmissions.
But Lectric didn’t just opt for a fancy gearbox, they chose the even higher-end version of Pinion’s 6-speed lineup with automatic electric shifting. That feature allows complete customization of the shifting parameters, letting riders dial in their performance marks such as ideal cadence, shift points, preferred gear to downshift into at stops automatically, and more, all from the bike’s dashboard display.
The weather-sealed gearbox is maintenance-free, just like the industry-leading Gates Carbon Belt drive found on the bike. As a replacement for bicycle chains, Gates’ carbon fiber-reinforced belts are quieter, smoother, longer-lasting, and more efficient than chains over their entire lifespan. And to top it all off, they don’t require maintenance such as oiling or washing.
And similarly to the move with Pinion’s gearbox, Lectric again climbed up to nearly the top shelf of the component hierarchy, opting for Gate’s premium CDC belt and CDX sprocket.
The inclusion of largely maintenance-free hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors adds one more component to the list of parts that riders won’t have to worry about keeping in tune.
And despite the 55-lb (25 kg) Lectric ONE‘s positioning as a lightweight commuter e-bike, it still packs in the extra power we’ve come to know and love from Lectric. A true 750W-rated Stealth M24 motor can be found in the rear wheel, offering speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h). The company explained, “As the lightest e-bike with a 750-watt motor, the Lectric ONE boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio of any e-bike ever, offering lightning-fast starts and quick acceleration.”
Two 48V battery options are available, either 10.4Ah or 14Ah. The 500Wh and 672Wh batteries offer maximum ranges of 50 miles and 75 miles, respectively. Both are UL-compliant for added safety and peace of mind.
The Lectric ONE includes a new color LCD display, a 24-amp potted motor controller helping that 750W motor put out over 1,300W of peak power, a left-side thumb throttle, a side-sweeping kickstand, 20″x2.5″ city tires, a thru-axle front hub, integrated front and rear LED lighting, a telescoping seat post and handlebars for wider range of size adjustments, and hidden cable routing.
The one area that struck me as an odd choice was the inclusion of a cadence sensor over a torque sensor. Generally, torque sensors are incorporated on nicer bikes like these to reduce sensor lag, which is often associated with cadence sensors. But Lectric Ebikes’ Co-founder and CEO Levi Conlow reassured me, explaining how “while most cadence sensors have 12 magnets, our has 96 of them, so we’ve got 8x the resolution and much snappier feedback.”
Lectric’s signature PWR pedal assist is also included, offering current-based pedal assist levels instead of speed based. While it’s not the same as a true torque sensor, it does significantly bridge the gap by removing the lurching feeling often found in speed-based pedal-assist e-bikes. And with 8x the number of cadence sensor magnets, the pedal assist lag should be significantly reduced as well.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of all on the Lectric ONE isn’t a component, but rather the price. The bike is launching at $1,999 with a standard range battery, though a longer range battery is available as a $200 upgrade. To put that into perspective, it would be difficult to walk into a bike shop today and order that Pinion automatic shifting gearbox for less than $1,999, let alone receive an entire well-designed bike for that price.
Pre-orders for the new e-bike are now open, with shipping expected to begin in May. Color choices are limited to black or… well, just black. Fortunately, the company has a wide range of accessories to choose from, helping riders make the bike unique and customized to various types of riding. Just don’t worry about a rear rack or fender set, those are included free for anyone who puts down a pre-order now.
Electrek’s Take
This is kind of crazy, folks.
At this point, it seems like Lectric is just playing God with the entire e-bike market. I’m not exaggerating when I say this gearbox is extremely expensive. You literally couldn’t buy just gearbox for the price of this bike. It’s only through Lectric’s massive size and extreme purchasing power that they could even put it on a bike in this price class. The next cheapest e-bike I can find that has this same Pinion C1.6i auto-shifting gearbox is the Stromer ST7, which is a $13,000 electric bike.
Why they even went this direction, that’s a whole other question. Belt drive e-bikes can’t use a derailleur like a chain drive can, so if you don’t want to be stuck with a single speed on a belt drive, you need to either use an internally geared rear hub, which forces you to use a mid-drive motor (the standard solution) or use a gearbox at the pedals. And if you want to include a throttle, then your mid-drive options are limited and problematic (mid-drive motors with throttles love to chew up transmissions), giving more weight to the idea of replacing a mid-drive motor with a central gearbox. I never thought I’d actually see Lectric do it though, as it’s truly several classes above anything the company has produced before.
When trying to think about which bikes the Lectric ONE will compete against, I’m largely coming up empty. Instead, I think it’s creating a new class of bikes – premium value commuters. It sounds like an oxymoron, a premium-value bike. But that’s what they’ve built here. It almost fills the void left by bikes like the VanMoof A5, creating a fairly lightweight and small-wheeled, automatic shifting commuter e-bike with a sleek design. Except that it does so at half the price, and without the same level of in-house proprietary technology that doomed VanMoof into bankruptcy.
I feel like I’m still processing all that went into this bike, and the craziness of launching it at this price. Sure, it’s not for everyone. If you want fat tires or suspension, they’ve got a great $999 e-bike for you. But for folks who want a lighter, more efficient commuter e-bike, and suddenly want an insanely fancy automatic shifting gearbox paired with a Gates carbon belt drive, this is a weirdly affordable way to make it happen at just $1,999.
It’s a brave new world.
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Hyundai has unveiled the design refresh of its Ioniq 6 sedan, and announced that it will become a family of cars rather than a single model, with an N Line trim and upcoming N performance model, much like its sister car the Ioniq 5.
Hyundai has been doing great with its EVs lately, hitting sales records and getting great reviews.
Much of that focus has been on the Ioniq 5, an attractive crossover SUV with lots of capability at a good price – and a bonkers N performance version which has been breaking different kinds of records.
The Ioniq 6, conversely, hasn’t attracted quite as much attention, even though it has some records of its own (it’s the most efficient vehicle in the US… for under $70k).
Between its admittedly odd looks – much more aerodynamic and rounded than the comparatively blocky 5 – and it fitting into the less-popular (but better) sedan form factor, it just hasn’t captured as much imagination as the 5.
It has also fallen somewhat behind. The Ioniq 5 got a big update this year, including a native NACS port, the first non-Tesla mass market vehicle to hit the road with one of these included (and it even charges faster than a Tesla does on home turf). The 6, however, is still sitting on its original design from when it first started production/shipping in 2022/23.
But that’s about to change, as Hyundai is giving the model some love with a design update and some hints at new things to come.
We’ve seen spy shots of these design updates before, but now Hyundai is showing them to everyone at the Seoul Mobility Show.
Hyundai showed two models today, the standard Ioniq 6 and the “N Line,” an upgraded trim level with some interior and exterior changes to look a little more sporty. Hyundai has used similar nomenclature for its other models, and that carries over here.
Both have a redesigned front end, making it look more aggressive than the prior bulbous and aerodynamic shape, and narrower headlights.
The N Line looks even more aggressive than the standard model, though, with an even more aggressive front and rear end.
Hyundai says that the redesign will also include interior enhancements for “a more comfortable, intuitive experience,” with a redesigned steering wheel, larger climate control display, upgraded materials and redesigned center console with more physical controls.
Beyond this, the refresh was light on details – intentionally, with a full unveil of specs and changes coming later. We can imagine a lot of the improvements on the 2025 Ioniq 5 will be carried over, such as a native NACS port for example, and potentially a slightly larger or faster-charging battery.
We had also previously heard hints that an N version (yes, “N” and “N Line” are different, no, we don’t know why they used these confusing names) of the Ioniq 6 is coming, and Hyundai reiterated those hints today – even giving us a glimpse of the car in the background of one of its shots.
Now THIS one looks quite aggressive, with a bigger double wing and potentially some changes to the diffuser (it’s hard to tell from the shot, as the N Line also has a modified diffuser).
The ioniq 5N has earned rave reviews from enthusiasts for its bonkers driving dynamics and comparatively reasonable price for a true performance vehicle. But it’s still an SUV format, and frankly, an SUV will never be a sportscar no matter how many horsepower you put into it (I will die on this hill).
The 6, however, with its sedan shape and footprint, could make for a much more compelling sports package once it’s all put together. So we’re very excited to see what Hyundai can do if they apply the same magic they put into the 5 into a new 6N. Looking forward to July.
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Over the next two years, homebuilder Lennar is outfitting more than 1,500 new Colorado homes with Dandelion Energy’s geothermal systems in one of the largest residential geothermal rollouts in the US.
The big draw for homeowners is lower energy bills and cleaner heating and cooling. Dandelion claims Lennar homeowners with geothermal systems will collectively save around $30 million over the next 20 years compared to using air-source heat pumps. Geothermal heat pumps don’t need outdoor AC units or conventional heating systems, either.
Geothermal systems use the sustained temperature of the ground to heat or cool a home. A ground loop system absorbs heat energy (BTUs) from the earth so that it can be transferred to a heat pump and efficiently converted into warmth for a home. Dandelion says its ground loop systems are built to last for over 50 years and should require no maintenance.
Dandelion’s geothermal system uses a vertical ground closed-loop system that is installed using well-boring equipment and trenched back into the house to connect to a heat pump. The pipes circulate a mixture of water and propylene glycol, a food-grade antifreeze, that absorbs the ground’s temperature. A ground source heat pump circulates the liquid through the ground loops and it exchanges its heat energy in the heat pump with liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant is converted to vapor, compressed to increase its temperature, then passed through a heat exchanger to transfer heat to the air, which is circulated through a home’s HVAC ductwork.
Daniel Yates, Dandelion Energy’s CEO, called the partnership with Lennar a “new benchmark for affordable, energy-efficient, and high-quality home heating and cooling.” By streamlining its installation process, Dandelion is making geothermal systems simpler and cheaper for homebuilders and homeowners to adopt.
This collaboration is happening at a time when Colorado is pushing hard to meet its clean energy targets. Governor Jared Polis is excited about the move, calling it a win for Coloradans’ wallets, air quality, and the state’s leadership on geothermal energy. Will Toor, executive director of the Colorado Energy Office, said that “ensuring affordable access to geothermal heating and cooling is essential to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and we’re excited to be part of such a huge effort to bring this technology to so many new Colorado homes.”
And it’s not just about cutting emissions – geothermal heat pumps help reduce peak electric demand. Analysis from the Department of Energy found that widespread adoption of these systems could save the US from needing 24,500 miles of new transmission lines. That’s like crossing the continental US eight times.
Colorado is making this transition a lot more attractive through state tax credits and Xcel Energy’s rebate programs. These incentives slash upfront costs for builders like Lennar, making geothermal installations more financially viable. The utility’s Clean Heat Plan and electrification strategy are working to keep energy bills low while meeting climate goals.
Read more: This will be the first geothermal energy storage system on the Texas grid
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Polestar has removed the Polestar 2 from its US website header in an early sign of how new tariffs will restrict choice and competition for American consumers, thus increasing prices.
The Polestar 2 is Polestar’s first full EV – the original Polestar 1 was a limited-edition plug-in hybrid.
It started production in 2020 in Luqiao, Zhejiang, China, where Polestar and Volvo’s parent corporation, Geely, was founded.
And there’s the rub: while Polestar’s newer EV, the 3 (which we just drove the new single motor version of last week), is built in South Carolina, the 2 is not.
Unfortunately, that interacts with some news that has been getting a lot of play lately: tariffs.
The US has been gradually getting stupider and stupider on the issue of tariffs, apparently determined to increase prices for Americans and decrease the competitiveness of American manufacturing in a time of change for the auto industry.
It is widely acknowledged (by anyone who has given it a few seconds of thought) that tariffs increase prices and that trade barriers tend to reduce competition, leading to less innovation.
It started with 25% tariffs on various products from China, implemented in the 2018-2020 timeframe. Then, in 2024, President Biden implemented a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, effectively stopping their sale in the US. These tariffs included some exceptions and credits based on Volvo’s other US manufacturing, which Polestar had used to keep the most expensive versions of the 2 on sale in the US, while restricting the lower-priced versions from sale. Nevertheless, they were a bad idea.
Now, in yet another step to make America less competitive and inflate the prices of goods more for Americans, we got more tariff announcements today from a senile ex-reality TV host who wandered into the White House rose garden (which he does not belong in). These tariffs do not include the same exceptions as the previously-announced Biden tariffs.
Apparently this has all been enough for Polestar, as even in advance of today’s tariff announcements, the company suddenly removed its Polestar 2 from its website header today.
The change can be seen at polestar.com/us, where only the Polestar 3 and 4 are listed in the header area. On other sites, like the company’s Norwegian website or British website, the car is still there. The Polestar 2 page is still up on the US website, but it isn’t linked to elsewhere on the site (we’ll see how long it stays up).
We reached out to Polestar for comment, but didn’t hear anything back before publication. We’ll update if we do.
It makes sense that the Polestar 2 would still be for sale elsewhere, as it only started production in 2020. Most car models are available for at least 7 years, so this is an earlier exit than expected.
So it’s likely that all of the tariff news is what had an effect in killing the Polestar 2.
Then again, this is also just the second day of a new fiscal quarter. Perhaps the timing offers Polestar an opportunity to make a clean break – especially now that the lower-priced version of its Polestar 3 is available.
Despite the lower $67.5k base price of the new Polestar 3 variant, that represents a big increase in price for the brand, which had sold the base model Polestar 2 for around $50k originally, before all of these tariffs.
Update: Polestar got back to us with comment, but understandably, it doesn’t say much:
Polestar is a three-car company and Polestar 2 is available for customers now. There are a select number of Polestar 2s in stock at retailers that can be found on Polestar.com, but Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 will be the priority in the North American market.
Electrek’s Take
This isn’t the first car that America has been deprived of due to tariffs. The Volvo EX30, one of our most anticipated vehicles, and Electrek’s Vehicle of the Year for 2024, had its American availability pushed back due to tariffs.
Volvo decided to build the car in Belgium and export it to the US, but now that new tariffs apply to the EU as well, maybe that low-priced, awesome, fast, small EV will instead stay in Europe instead of being shipped overseas.
This shows how mercurial tariff fiats from an ignoramus are bad for manufacturing, as they mean that companies can’t make plans – and if they can’t make plans, eventually, they’ll probably just write the country making the random decisions out of their plans so they don’t have to deal with the nonsense.
And we’ve heard this from every businessperson or manufacturer representative we’ve talked to at any level of the automotive industry. Nobody thinks any of this is a good idea, because it objectively is not. All it does is make business harder, make the US less trustworthy, make things more expensive, and overall just harm America.
Yet another way that Americans are getting screwed by this stupid nonsense. 49% of you voted for inflation, and 100% of Americans are now getting it. Happy Inflation Day, everyone.
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