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If you’ve been wanting to get your off-road e-biking thrills but think all the current eMTBs on the market are too weak with their paltry 750W motors, then Biktrix has just what you’re looking for. The new Biktrix Juggernaut FS XD is the full-suspension electric mountain bike equivalent of the hot-rodder’s hot rod.

Over 2,000 watts of power in an electric mountain bike is no joke, and Canadian electric bike maker Biktrix had to go back to the drawing board to make it happen.

The new e-bike required a custom-built mid-drive motor that was designed in-house by the Biktrix team. Instead of a massive and clunky rear wheel motor to get there, the mid-drive motor built by the company keeps the bike more balanced and allows riders to preserve the type of handling expected from a mountain bike.

And as you can imagine, having nearly 10x the amount of power produced by a human could wreak havoc on traditional bike parts like chains and sprockets, so Biktrix had to get custom there, too. The company designed a second drivetrain just for the motor power, feeding the rear wheel through a higher spec chain and sprocket set on the left side of the bike.

As the company explained:

“The innovative Coaxial-Drive motor provides all the handling and weight distribution benefits that come with a mid-drive motor. But with all this power you need a drivetrain to handle it! The Juggernaut XD features a motor side drivetrain designed specifically to handle the power this motor puts out to keep this bike even more reliable than your average mid-drive motor.”

Of course a big motor means that you’d better have a big battery as well, otherwise that fun ride is going to get cut short. Supplying the Juggernaut FS XD’s motor is a 52V 17Ah battery with 910 Wh of capacity.

The company reports an estimated range of 40 miles (64 km) from the battery, though full-power riding that makes full use of the 2,300W motor is sure to drop that range.

The range estimate likely comes from using pedal assist, though there’s a throttle too for peak fun. Riders who can resist relying purely on the throttle will find that the torque sensor pedal assist is designed to be as intuitive and responsive as possible, feeling more like a true mountain bike when you pedal it than a light dirt bike.

And it’s no surprise that a bike built with this much power also comes with heavy-duty components. The wheels feature 15mm and 12mm thru axle hubs in the front and rear, respectively. The brakes use dual-piston hydraulic calipers with 180mm and 220mm rotors. The transmission is a SRAM NX 11-speed. And the tire sizes come in three larger-than-life options of 26×4″, 27.5×3″, 26×4.8″.

To top it all off, the suspension features a Rockshox Monarch Rl rear shock with 51 mm of travel as well as five different fork options depending on how serious you want to get with your riding. The fork options include:

  • Biktrix Inverted Air Fork with 100mm travel
  • Manitou Mastadon Comp with 100mm travel
  • Wren Inverted Air Fork with 110 mm travel
  • Wren Inverted Air Fork with 150 mm travel
  • Wren Inverted Air Fork with 110 mm travel, lockout and preload

Considering the bike’s weight is listed at 71.9 lb (32.6 kg) before the battery is inserted, those suspension options (and likely the powerful hydraulic disc brakes) are going to be well-appreciated components indeed.

biktrix juggernaut FS XD e-bike

The Biktrix Juggernaut FS XD carries an MSRP of US $5,999, but there are some serious savings to be had. The bike is rolling out with a $1,000 off sale as part of the launch, and anyone who puts down a $100 pre-order deposit gets another $500 discount on top of that.

For an all-in price of $4,499, the picture is looking pretty darn rosy for such a powerful and high-spec e-bike. Just remember that with this much power comes some serious responsibility, which includes riding only where permitted and being courteous to other trail users.

Electrek’s Take

Alright, so this bike is pretty ridiculous, but in all the best ways. I mentioned the issue of being courteous of other trail users, but with this much power and suspension, you can leave the trails behind and chart your own overlanding course.

I’ve had a lot of experience with different Biktrix e-bike models over the years and have always been impressed with the company. They take pride in building e-bikes that aren’t just cookie-cutter white-labeled models chosen from an OEM’s catalog.

That means they cost a bit more, but you’re paying for the innovation. That motor certainly wasn’t cheap to develop, nor was the dual drivetrain.

Some people will probably say “just get a Sur Ron or dirt bike for that price”, but I’d argue they’re missing the point. This is still an electric mountain bike, and it still rides like one – albeit a bit heavier than most riders will be accustomed to. Just because it has 2,300W of power doesn’t mean you always need to ride it in full power mode. You can crank the power up to climb a mountain, then drop it back down to get a nice workout on the trails at the top. Most minivans can get up to 100 mph, but they rarely do. People like knowing they have the performance, even if they keep it to much lower levels most of the time. I see the Biktrix Juggernaut FS XD through a similar lens. It has the power and performance to take you places other e-bikes couldn’t, but you can always drop the power back down and ride it like an eMTB. That’s just not possible with a dirt bike or Sur Ron.

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Nissan feels the heat from BYD’s EV price war in China

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Nissan feels the heat from BYD's EV price war in China

Nissan is the latest victim of BYD’s “liberation battle” against gas-powered cars. After BYD’s aggressive price cuts this year, Nissan is shutting down a factory in China as it struggles to keep up.

As is the case for many legacy automakers, China is a critical sales market for Nissan. Nearly a third of Nissan’s global sales and net profits are from China.

After slipping out of the top five automakers (by market share) in China in 2022, Nissan’s woes are worsening. Nissan’s sales fell 16% in China last year and the trend has continued into 2024.

Nissan’s sales fell another 2.8% last month, with 64,233 vehicles sold in China. The company cut guidance by 23% last year, with 800,000 vehicle sales expected in fiscal 2024. According to Nikkei, Nissan will do so with one less factory.

Nissan is closing the doors to its plant in Changzhou as the factory is building more cars than it can sell.

The facility accounts for about 8% of Nissan’s production capacity in China, with an annual capacity of around 130,000 units. According to the report, the plant shuts down on Friday.

Nissan-BYD's-EV
Nissan Ariya electric SUV (Source: Nissan)

Under its joint venture with China’s Dongfeng Motor, Nissan has eight plants in the region. Its total annual capacity is around 1.6 million, double Nissan’s projected sales figures for fiscal 2024.

Nissan shuts down China plant amid BYD’s EV price war

The plant shutdown comes as Nissan struggles to keep up in an increasingly competitive China EV market.

China’s largest automaker, BYD, kicked off a “liberation battle” against ICE vehicles earlier this year. The goal is to continue taking market share from gas-powered cars with lower-priced EVs. So far, it seems to be working.

Nissan-BYD's-EVs
BYD (Dolphin Mini) Seagull EV (Source: Nissan)

BYD has drastically cut prices while introducing lower-priced EV models. Its cheapest, the Seagull EV, starts under $10,000 (69,800 yuan).

BYD’s CEO, Wang Chaunfu, said EVs have entered “the knockout round” and that the next two years will be critical for automakers to catch up.

With lower-priced, more advanced models hitting the market, BYD sees joint venture brands (like Nissan’s) market share falling from around 40% to 10% in China.

Nissan isn’t the only legacy automaker feeling the heat. Japanese rivals Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Honda have also pulled back in China amid slumping sales.

Nissan-BYD's-EV
Nissan EV concepts (Source: Nissan)

Meanwhile, BYD looks to expand its global footprint after outgrowing China’s EV market. BYD is closing in on a deal for a plant in Mexico that would be among the biggest in the country. The company expects to sell 50,000 vehicles in Mexico this year.

BYD is also expanding on Nissan and Toyota’s home turf. According to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association, BYD accounted for over 20% of Japan’s EV imports in January.

With longer-range, lower-priced models rolling out, BYD’s momentum is expected to continue. China’s leading automaker is also expanding into new segments like pickups (check out the new Shark PHEV), mid-size electric SUVs, and luxury.

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Tesla Model 3 Long Range costs $3,200 more to finance than last week

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Tesla Model 3 Long Range costs ,200 more to finance than last week

Tesla scrapped promotional financing on the Model 3 Long Range this week after it became eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

As Electrek reported on June 17, Tesla and the IRS confirmed that the Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive is now eligible for the full tax credit. Today, Tesla is pricing the EV’s upfront purchase price at just $34,990 – $1,000 more than the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive – including the federal tax credit and an estimated five-year gas savings of $5,000.

The Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive still doesn’t qualify for the federal tax credit because it uses LFP battery cells from China.

The Model 3 Long Range is now listed at 6.39% APR on loans up to 72 months. The Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive continues to offer 1.99% APR for 36 months with a 60-month option at 2.99%.

Even though the Model 3 Long Range is now $7,500 cheaper, the higher interest rate is a bit of a party pooper, as it eats up potential savings. The folks at CarsDirect estimated that on a five-year loan, thanks to the 6.39% interest rate, the Model 3 Long Range has more of a $4,200 advantage than a $7,500 advantage.

If you’re eligible for the federal tax credit, the Model 3 Long Range is cheaper than before but costs around $3,200 more to finance through Tesla than last week. CarsDirect suggests comparing your options carefully if you’re shopping for a Model 3 Long Range. 

Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Model 3 in stock –affiliate link


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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. –affiliate link*

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Utah is getting 20 ‘hyper-fast’ Electrify America EV charging stations

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Utah is getting 20 'hyper-fast' Electrify America EV charging stations

Electrify America and electric utility Rocky Mountain Power have rolled out the first of 20 DC fast charging stations in Utah.

Electrify Commercial, a business unit of Electrify America, and Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacifiCorp, are deploying more than 80 chargers at 15 DC fast charging stations in the Salt Lake City area and five DC fast charging stations in surrounding regions.

So far, four charging stations have come online in Millcreek, Vernal, Moab, and Kimball Junction.

Rocky Mountain Power, the only rate-regulated public utility providing electric service in Utah, will own the new charging stations. Each will have “hyper-fast” chargers capable of speeds up to 350 kW. The utility will set the pricing and Rocky Mountain Power utility customers get a discounted rate.

Since 2016, Rocky Mountain Power has installed more than 120 DC fast chargers in Utah and completed an electric highway corridor along I-15, Utah’s primary and only north-south interstate highway. It’s also facilitated the installation of more than 3,000 Level 2 chargers for workplaces, retail, and multifamily housing. The utility is spending $50 million to install EV charging infrastructure across Utah.

All 20 of Utah’s new DC fast charging stations will be on Electrify America’s coast-to-coast “locate a charger” map, which includes more than 950 stations and over 4,250 chargers in the US and Canada. Drivers will be able to access and pay for charging on Rocky Mountain Power’s chargers through the Electrify America mobile app.

Read more: Here’s what Electrify America’s EV charging plans are for 2024


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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. –affiliate link*

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