E-motorcycle brand CAKE went bankrupt. Here’s how they’re planning a comeback
Everyone loves a good comeback story. Rocky. The Karate Kid. CAKE? That’s right, the Swedish electric motorcycle company is preparing to rise again.
In a new announcement, CAKE said the final chapter of its stylish electric motorcycle saga has yet to be written.
After the brand filed for bankruptcy in February on the heels of its investors pulling back, now new life may be breathed into the company.
The Norwegian automotive company Brages Holding AS has apparently acquired the brand and all of its intellectual property. Now we’ve learned that a small team has been to set plans for CAKE’s future.
“As a car retailer in Norway, we have witnessed how fast the electrification shift can go when people set their minds to it,” explained Brages owner Espen Digernes. “Now, we believe the transformation in the micro-mobility sector will accelerate as well. Not only for motorbikes, but also for scooters, mopeds, and electric bikes. When we first connected with CAKE as a retailer, we fell in love with their products, the design, the craftsmanship, and the story behind CAKE. Our goal in acquiring CAKE was to evolve the brand. We aim to scale CAKE by building a robust retailer distribution network and transforming a remarkable Swedish initiative into a Scandinavian success.”
The company continued, saying that a business plan for the new CAKE has been crafted since the acquisition.
“This plan is an ambitious quest to lead the premium electric two-wheeler segment in targeted markets,” the company continued. “At the same time, we aim to sustain the passion and enthusiasm for the brand through our CAKE team and the devoted community of riders.”
CAKE began making waves in the world of two-wheeled electric mobility all the way back in 2016. The company’s mission was to inspire a shift towards zero-emission societies by creating high-performance electric motorcycles that combined sustainability with innovative design.
CAKE’s most notable model was the Kalk, a line of lightweight electric motorcycles designed for off-road and urban use. The Kalk series, which included models like the Kalk OR, Kalk&, and Kalk INK, showcased the company’s commitment to merging various riding styles with minimalist Scandinavian design.
These bikes were engineered with precision, featuring robust yet lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber, which contributed to their impressive performance and range, not to mention the distinctly Swedish styling.
Over the years, CAKE expanded its lineup to include the Ösa, a versatile utility bike that could be customized with various accessories to suit a wide range of uses, from commuting to cargo transport.
CAKE was known for focusing on both its engineering and sustainable practices, pushing the boundaries of what electric motorcycles could achieve in a novel form factor while remaining focused on sustainability. It was a move that appealed to both environmentally conscious riders and those seeking performance in their dirt bikes and urban mopeds, though the brand’s higher prices for comparatively lower performance meant that the design and sustainability features were also a major part of the value proposition.
Now with a comeback potentially on the horizon, we may no longer have to write about CAKE in past tense.
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Environment
U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025.
Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters
U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.
Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.
Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.
Oil futures, 5 years
The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.
Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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