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Your Friday edition of the best Green Deals is now at the ready to take you into the weekend with hundreds in savings on casual cruiser e-bikes, the Ninebot S2, and some off-grid power. First we have a straight up $400 price drop on the Blix Sol Eclipse Cruiser e-bike with $518 in total savings by way of some free add-ons – you can also save an additional $200 off when buying any 2 bikes. Next is a new Amazon all-time low on the Segway Ninebot S2 Smart Self-Balancing Electric Scooter and a solid price drop on the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Power Station with 40W Mini Solar Panel for $249. But that’s just for starters, everything else is waiting below.

Head below for more and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

If you happened to miss out on the short-lived Labor Day offers, Blix is once again offering a solid deal on its Sol Eclipse Cruiser e-bike. Regularly $1,899, you can now land one down at $1,499 shipped. That’s $400 off the going rate and, on top of that, you’ll land a FREE Solo Fender set worth $59 and a $59 Sol Rear Rack FREE of charge. That’s a total of $518 in savings here. And to sweeten the deal even more, Blix is offering an additional $200 off when buying any 2 bikes – simply add both to your cart and apply code RIDETOGETHER to redeem the deal. 

The Blix Sol Eclipse Cruiser e-bike stands out from many of the more rugged and hardcover models out there. It trades in the tough off-road vibes for the far more relaxed beach cruiser aesthetic, something that looks right at home on a Sunday afternoon stroll through the neighborhood, an evening ride on the boardwalk, and casual rides into town. I really like the overall look and feel here. 

It sports a 750W rear hub motor powered by way of the 614Wh capacity battery that combine together to have you whipping around at up to 20MPH for as many as 45 miles at a time. 

Segway Ninebot S2 Self-Balancing Electric Scooter hits $500 Amazon all-time low (Up to $100 off)

Amazon is now offering the Segway Ninebot S2 Smart Self-Balancing Electric Scooter down at $499.95 shipped. This model carries a regular price at $600 directly from Segway these days, but landed on Amazon back in January of this year at $550 where it has, for the most part, remained. We did see it jump to $600 there for brief time this summer, but you’re either way looking at a new Amazon all-time low, the very first solid price drop we have tracked there, and the lowest since the pre-order promotion. 

While we feature a ton of electric scooters and e-bike deals around here, it’s not often we spot a solid and, in this case, relatively rare deal on the upright self-balancing models. Whether you’re scooting around the house, driveway, or through the park, if you’ve been looking to pick up a relatively new model like this, today’s deal has arrived

Go off grid for the day with Jackery’s Explorer 240 v2 and 40W mini solar panel at $249 (Save $100)

If you’re facinated by the idea of going off grid, we’ve got a deal that will let you take that notion for a spin. The official Jackery storefront at Amazon is now offering its Jackery Explorer 240 v2 Power Station with 40W Mini Solar Panel for $249 shipped. It usually goes for $349, and that’s precisely how much the official Jackery website is officially selling it for right now. Today’s deal matches the lowest price we’ve tracked, making this an ideal time to cash in and dip your toe in what some time off grid could be like. Learn more about this bundle down below.

Outfitted with a LiFePO4 battery, this Jackery power station features a 256Wh capacity that’s ready to withstand 3,000 charge cycles. When near an outlet, the entire battery can be refueled in as little as one hour. If you decide to rely on the 40W solar panel, you’ll need roughly six hours or so of sunlight to be good to go. When it comes to outlets, this unit features AC, 100W + 15W USB-C, 15W USB-A, and a DC car port. That’s a pretty versatile selection that should keep you up and running when away from home.

Head below for even more Green Deals we are still tracking:

Extended through next week: RadRover 6 Plus Fat Tire e-Bike now $200 off + FREE $499 battery add-on

While stock is beginning to dwindle from the Rad Power Labor Day event, there’s still time to score the step-thru RadRover 6 Plus Electric Fat Tire Bike at $1,399 shipped, down from the regular $1,599 price tag. This $200 deal is live through today only and it is already starting to sell out. Rad is also throwing in a FREE semi-integrated battery, just make sure you add both it and the e-bike to your cart separately – this battery fetches a regular price tag at $499. With today’s deal you’re looking at a total savings of $699. 

This is the latest sixth-generation model of the RadRover, complete with a 750W geared hub motor that “delivers enhanced hill-climbing capabilities” alongside Kenda Juggernaut “puncture-resistant, durable 26×4″ fat tires for off-road adventures and the ability to drive a 275-pound payload. 

It will keep you cruising for 45 miles ore more at top speeds up to 20MPH alongside the a 7-speed Shimano derailleur. The half-twist throttle action joins the onboard LCD screen for real-time battery and performance data. 

Again, you basically have half a day left to take advantage of the $200 price drop alongside the free $499 battery add-on here. Some colorways are already selling out and there’s no telling when or if this deal will return any time soon. 

Our hands-on review will deliver a detailed breakdown of the riding experience and what you’re getting into here. 

Segway’s 25-mile Ninebot F35 Electric Scooter hits best price of the year at $425 (Reg. $680+)

As part of its new 48-hour flash sale, Best Buy is now offering the Segway Ninebot F35 Electric Scooter down at $424.99 shipped. Regularly $700 at Best Buy and $680 directly from Segway, this is up to $275 off and at least $255 in savings. Today’s deal lands at $25 under our previous mention from last month to deliver the lowest price we can find and to deliver the deepest deal we have tracked on this model. It also among the lowest prices we can find for any relatively comparable Segway model at Amazon right now.

The Segway Ninebot F35 Electric Scooter will have you cruising around town at up to 18.6MPH on its 10-inch pneumatic tires for up to 24.9 miles at a time. 

It features a 350W (max 700W) motor with a 36V battery that recharges to 100% in 5 hours with three riding modes: eco mode, standard, and sport mode that favor range over speed, or vice versa. 

This joins a regenerative braking system that also helps to recharge the battery alongside front LED lighting, a quick-fold system for easy storage and portability, and Bluetooth connectivity:

Connect the F35 with the Segway-Ninebot app via Bluetooth to monitor your riding status and data, lock your scooter and upgrade the firmware and enhance the overall riding experience.

Score $255 in FREE gear with Lectric’s impressive 2024 long-range ONE e-bike

Sitting alongside its still live Labor Day offers which include hundreds in free add-on gear, we are pulling out the offer on the impressive 2024 Lectric ONE e-bike today. The brand is offering it for $2,199 shipped with $255 in FREE add-on gear to deliver one of the best offers we have tracked outside of the launch deal months ago, coming within $14 in terms of value of the back to school offer. You’re looking at a total value of $2,454 here with extras we will detail below. 

To put it lightly, we came away very impressed after taking a good look at launch back in March on this model. Despite the sticker north of $2,000, this is a more than value-packed price for an e-bike this premium. 

This long-range e-bike takes things up a notch with high-grade European transmissions and carbon fiber-reinforced drive belts, including an auto-shifting weather-sealed electricgearbox from Pinion.

It runs on a 750W rear hub-motor with a 48V battery that will have you cruising for 50 miles at up to 28MPH, and that’s just with the standard battery. There’s 5 levels of PWR pedal assistance, a thumb throttle, 20-inch city tires, hydraulic mineral oil disc brakes, and a new color LCD display.

Today’s package bundle deal nets you $255 worth of add-ons including an aluminum rear rack, a set of wheel fenders, and a 1.5-liter Top Tube Bag to stow smaller EDC items with a dedicated smartphone compartment. 

MOD Black 3, the baddest-looking mountain e-bike now $500 off with FREE $599 SUP ($1,099 in savings)

We feature a ton of amazing e-bike and EV deals around here, but one of my favorite, at least in terms of looks, is seeing a major price drop with some bonus goodies right now. You can now land the MOD Black 3 down at $2,999 shipped and score a FREE $599 MOD Board Inflatable SUP. Simply add both to your cart to redeem the discount. With recent price hikes this bike now carries a regular price tag at $3,499, which means you’re saving $500 and scoring a free $599 SUP for a total of $1,099 in savings…nice. 

Aside from delivering one of the baddest-looking mountain e-bikes on the market, in my opinion, there’s some notable specs to power you through your adventures here too. 
It comes with a 750W rear brushless geared hub motor (1,000W peak) alongside a 720Wh MOD Samsung Powerpack battery – this allows you to cruise for up to 50 miles at max speeds of 28 MPH. Other highlights of the build here include the five levels of pedal assistance, 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, thumb throttle, and hydraulic disc brakes alongside the rear cargo rack. 

Hit up our our hands-on review for a closer look.

Summer e-bike deals!

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Upcoming electric Bentley blends 1930s style with 2030s tech

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Upcoming electric Bentley blends 1930s style with 2030s tech

British ultra-luxe brand Bentley is teasing the upcoming, first-ever all electric model that will take it into the 2030s with a new concept car inspired by the iconic 1930 “Blue Train” Speed Six coupe – and it looks fantastic!

More than any other brand, Bentley was defined by its engine. For decades, in fact, the only meaningful mechanical difference between a Rolls-Royce and a Bentley was the 6.75L twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the flying B hood ornament.

That all changed at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Rolls-Royce was acquired by BMW, while Volkswagen took the reins at Bentley, setting both brands on distinct paths. Now, without its own engine, Bentley faces the challenge of proving to discerning buyers that its cars justify a premium over its mechanical cousins at VW, Audi, and Porsche. That’s why the company is looking to it pre-Rolls merger past, all the way back to the legendary 1930 “Blue Train” Speed Six coupe.

Bentley Blue Train EXP 15 concept


EXP 15 concept and 1930 Blue Train; via Bentley.

“Bentley’s then-chairman Woolf Barnato had a Speed Six four-door Weymann fabric saloon by H J Mulliner, which he used to race the Blue Train in 1930,” explains Darren Day, Bentley’s Head of Interior Design. “Meanwhile, he had a unique one-of-one Speed Six coupe being built, with a body by Gurney Nutting. Even though the coupe wasn’t finished when the race took place, it’s that car (the coupe) that’s become associated with it and has since become an iconic Bentley. What we were influenced by is the idea of a three-seat car with a unique window line and super slick proportions used for grand tours.”

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The EXP 15 concept car features a unique, three-door, three-passenger layout under a sweeping, dramatic roofline lifted from the 1930 tourer. “The seat can rotate and you step out, totally unflustered, not trying to clamber out of the car like you see with some supercars,” continued Day, before dropping the biggest hint yet as to who they’re building the car for. “You just get out with dignity and the Instagram shot is perfect.”

Bentley EXP 15 interior


While almost no technical specs have been revealed other than “full electric,” Bentley says its new concept’s innovative interior layout allows passengers to stretch out in comfort alongside accessible storage compartments that can house a bar, hand luggage, or even pets. The EXP 15 even offers tailgate seating for outdoor parties or suburban soccer games.

But, while the new concept is tall, Bentley hopes it manages to offer the commanding driving position and comfort of an SUV while giving off the “vibe” of a classic grand tourer – something Bentley thinks could be the next wave of the luxury car market.

“The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market’s going,” offers Robin Page, Bentley Director of Design. “It’s clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market … but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it’s changing. Some customers want a classic ‘three-box’ sedan shape, others a ‘one-box’ design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.”

As before: no specs, no range estimates, and no promises about if and nothing definitive about when the oft-promised all-electric Bentley will finally bow – but this is certain: when it does arrive, it will be big, brash, and fast.

Electrek’s Take


Now that SUVs are everywhere and in every segment, automakers are desperate to explore or open new niches, hoping to find that next “SUV-like” growth segment. As weird as the three-door, three-seat EXP 15’s interior layout is, you have to admit that it’s different. And, for a vehicle that spends 90% of its time with just one person inside it, it might be more than practical enough.

Let us know if you think Bentley has a winner, or just another concept car gimmick on its hands in the comments.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Bentley.


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In rare earth metals power struggle with China, old laptops, phones may get a new life

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In rare earth metals power struggle with China, old laptops, phones may get a new life

A stack of old mobile phones are seen before recycling process in Kocaeli, Turkiye on October 14, 2024.

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

As the U.S. and China vie for economic, technological and geopolitical supremacy, the critical elements and metals embedded in technology from consumer to industrial and military markets have become a pawn in the wider conflict. That’s nowhere more so the case than in China’s leverage over the rare earth metals supply chain. This past week, the Department of Defense took a large equity stake in MP Materials, the company running the only rare earths mining operation in the U.S.

But there’s another option to combat the rare earths shortage that goes back to an older idea: recycling. The business has come a long way from collecting cans, bottles, plastic, newspaper and other consumer disposables, otherwise destined for landfills, to recreate all sorts of new products.

Today, next-generation recyclers — a mix of legacy companies and startups — are innovating ways to gather and process the ever-growing mountains of electronic waste, or e-waste, which comprises end-of-life and discarded computers, smartphones, servers, TVs, appliances, medical devices, and other electronics and IT equipment. And they are doing so in a way that is aligned to the newest critical technologies in society. Most recently, spent EV batteries, wind turbines and solar panels are fostering a burgeoning recycling niche.

The e-waste recycling opportunity isn’t limited to rare earth elements. Any electronics that can’t be wholly refurbished and resold, or cannibalized for replacement parts needed to keep existing electronics up and running, can berecycled to strip out gold, silver, copper, nickel, steel, aluminum, lithium, cobalt and other metals vital to manufacturers in various industries. But increasingly, recyclers are extracting rare-earth elements, such as neodymium, praseodymium, terbium and dysprosium, which are critical in making everything from fighter jets to power tools.

“Recycling [of e-waste] hasn’t been taken too seriously until recently” as a meaningful source of supply, said Kunal Sinha, global head of recycling at Swiss-based Glencore, a major miner, producer and marketer of metals and minerals — and, to a much lesser but growing degree, an e-waste recycler. “A lot of people are still sleeping at the wheel and don’t realize how big this can be,” Sinha said. 

Traditionally, U.S. manufacturers purchase essential metals and rare earths from domestic and foreign producers — an inordinate number based in China — that fabricate mined raw materials, or through commodities traders. But with those supply chains now disrupted by unpredictable tariffs, trade policies and geopolitics, the market for recycled e-waste is gaining importance as a way to feed the insatiable electrification of everything.

“The United States imports a lot of electronics, and all of that is coming with gold and aluminum and steel,” said John Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association, an industry trade group. “So there’s a great opportunity to actually have the tariffs be an impetus for greater recycling in this country for goods that we don’t have, but are buying from other countries.”

With copper, other metals, ‘recycling is going to play huge role’

Although recycling contributes only around $200 million to Glencore’s total EBITDA of nearly $14 billion, the strategic attention and time the business gets from leadership “is much more than that percentage,” Sinha said. “We believe that a lot of mining is necessary to get to all the copper, gold and other metals that are needed, but we also recognize that recycling is going to play a huge role,” he said.

Glencore has operated a huge copper smelter in Quebec, Canada, for almost  20 years on a site that’s nearly 100-years-old. The facility processes mostly mined copper concentrates, though 15% of its feedstock is recyclable materials, such as e-waste that Glencore’s global network of 100-plus suppliers collect and sort. The smelter pioneered the process for recovering copper and precious metals from e-waste in the mid 1980s, making it one of the first and largest of its type in the world. The smelted copper is refined into fresh slabs that are sold to manufacturers and traders. The same facility also produces refined gold, silver, platinum and palladium recovered from recycling feeds. 

The importance of copper to OEMs’ supply chains was magnified in early July, when prices hit an all-time high after President Trump said he would impose a 50% tariff on imports of the metal. The U.S. imports just under half of its copper, and the tariff hike — like other new Trump trade policies — is intended to boost domestic production.

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Price of copper year-to-date 2025.

It takes around three decades for a new mine in the U.S. to move from discovery to production, which makes recycled copper look all the more attractive, especially as demand keeps rising. According to estimates by energy-data firm Wood Mackenzie, 45% of demand will be met with recycled copper by 2050, up from about a third today.

Foreign recycling companies have begun investing in the U.S.-based facilities. In 2022, Germany’s Wieland broke ground on a $100-million copper and copper alloy recycling plant in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Last year, another German firm, Aurubis, started construction on an $800-million multi-metal recycling facility in Augusta, Georgia.

“As the first major secondary smelter of its kind in the U.S., Aurubis Richmond will allow us to keep strategically important metals in the economy, making U.S. supply chains more independent,” said Aurubis CEO Toralf Haag.

Massive amounts of e-waste

The proliferation of e-waste can be traced back to the 1990s, when the internet gave birth to the digital economy, spawning exponential growth in electronically enabled products. The trend has been supercharged by the emergence of renewable energy, e-mobility, artificial intelligence and the build-out of data centers. That translates to a constant turnover of devices and equipment, and massive amounts of e-waste.

In 2022, a record 62 million metric tons of e-waste were produced globally, up 82% from 2010, according to the most recent estimates from the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR. That number is projected to reach 82 million metric tons by 2030.

The U.S., the report said, produced just shy of 8 million tons of e-waste in 2022. Yet only about 15-20% of it is properly recycled, a figure that illustrates the untapped market for e-waste retrievables. The e-waste recycling industry generated $28.1 billion in revenue in 2024, according to IBISWorld, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 8%.

Whether it’s refurbished and resold or recycled for metals and rare-earths, e-waste that stores data — especially smartphones, computers, servers and some medical devices — must be wiped of sensitive information to comply with cybersecurity and environmental regulations. The service, referred to as IT asset disposition (ITAD), is offered by conventional waste and recycling companies, including Waste Management, Republic Services and Clean Harbors, as well as specialists such as Sims Lifecycle Services, Electronic Recyclers International, All Green Electronics Recycling and Full Circle Electronics.

“We’re definitely seeing a bit of an influx of [e-waste] coming into our warehouses,” said Full Circle Electronics CEO Dave Daily, adding, “I think that is due to some early refresh cycles.”

That’s a reference to businesses and consumers choosing to get ahead of the customary three-year time frame for purchasing new electronics, and discarding old stuff, in anticipation of tariff-related price increases.

Daily also is witnessing increased demand among downstream recyclers for e-waste Full Circle Electronics can’t refurbish and sell at wholesale. The company dismantles and separates it into 40 or 50 different types of material, from keyboards and mice to circuit boards, wires and cables. Recyclers harvest those items for metals and rare earths, which continue to go up in price on commodities markets, before reentering the supply chain as core raw materials.

Even before the Trump administration’s efforts to revitalize American manufacturing by reworking trade deals, and recent changes in tax credits key to the industry in Trump’s tax and spending bill, entrepreneurs have been launching e-waste recycling startups and developing technologies to process them for domestic OEMs.

“Many regions of the world have been kind of lazy about processing e-waste, so a lot of it goes offshore,” Sinha said. In response to that imbalance, “There seems to be a trend of nationalizing e-waste, because people suddenly realize that we have the same metals [they’ve] been looking for” from overseas sources, he said. “People have been rethinking the global supply chain, that they’re too long and need to be more localized.” 

China commands 90% of rare earth market

Several startups tend to focus on a particular type of e-waste. Lately, rare earths have garnered tremendous attention, not just because they’re in high demand by U.S. electronics manufacturers but also to lessen dependence on China, which dominates mining, processing and refining of the materials. In the production of rare-earth magnets — used in EVs, drones, consumer electronics, medical devices, wind turbines, military weapons and other products — China commands roughly 90% of the global supply chain.

The lingering U.S.–China trade war has only exacerbated the disparity. In April, China restricted exports of seven rare earths and related magnets in retaliation for U.S. tariffs, a move that forced Ford to shut down factories because of magnet shortages. China, in mid-June, issued temporary six-month licenses to certain major U.S. automaker suppliers and select firms. Exports are flowing again, but with delays and still well below peak levels.

The U.S. is attempting to catch up. Before this past week’s Trump administration deal, the Biden administration awarded $45 million in funding to MP Materials and the nation’s lone rare earths mine, in Mountain Pass, California. Back in April, the Interior Department approved development activities at the Colosseum rare earths project, located within California’s Mojave National Preserve. The project, owned by Australia’s Dateline Resources, will potentially become America’s second rare earth mine after Mountain Pass. 

A wheel loader takes ore to a crusher at the MP Materials rare earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, U.S. January 30, 2020. Picture taken January 30, 2020.

Steve Marcus | Reuters

Meanwhile, several recycling startups are extracting rare earths from e-waste. Illumynt has an advanced process for recovering them from decommissioned hard drives procured from data centers. In April, hard drive manufacturer Western Digital announced a collaboration with Microsoft, Critical Materials Recycling and PedalPoint Recycling to pull rare earths, as well as copper, gold, aluminum and steel, from end-of-life drives.

Canadian-based Cyclic Materials invented a process that recovers rare-earths and other metals from EV motors, wind turbines, MRI machines and data-center e-scrap. The company is investing more than $20 million to build its first U.S.-based facility in Mesa, Arizona. Late last year, Glencore signed a multiyear agreement with Cyclic to provide recycled copper for its smelting and refining operations.

Another hot feedstock for e-waste recyclers is end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, a source of not only lithium but also copper, cobalt, nickel, manganese and aluminum. Those materials are essential for manufacturing new EV batteries, which the Big Three automakers are heavily invested in. Their projects, however, are threatened by possible reductions in the Biden-era 45X production tax credit, featured in the new federal spending bill.

It’s too soon to know how that might impact battery recyclers — including Ascend Elements, American Battery Technology, Cirba Solutions and Redwood Materials — who themselves qualify for the 45X and other tax credits. They might actually be aided by other provisions in the budget bill that benefit a domestic supply chain of critical minerals as a way to undercut China’s dominance of the global market.

Nonetheless, that looming uncertainty should be a warning sign for e-waste recyclers, said Sinha. “Be careful not to build a recycling company on the back of one tax credit,” he said, “because it can be short-lived.”

Investing in recyclers can be precarious, too, Sinha said. While he’s happy to see recycling getting its due as a meaningful source of supply, he cautions people to be careful when investing in this space. Startups may have developed new technologies, but lack good enough business fundamentals. “Don’t invest on the hype,” he said, “but on the fundamentals.”

Glencore, ironically enough, is a case in point. It has invested $327.5 million in convertible notes in battery recycler Li-Cycle to provide feedstock for its smelter. The Toronto-based startup had broken ground on a new facility in Rochester, New York, but ran into financial difficulties and filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in May, prompting Glencore to submit a “stalking horse” credit bid of at least $40 million for the stalled project and other assets.

Even so, “the current environment will lead to more startups and investments” in e-waste recycling, Sinha said. “We are investing ourselves.”

MP Materials CEO on deal with the Defense Department

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LiveWire gives surprise unveil of two smaller, lower-cost electric motorcycles

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LiveWire gives surprise unveil of two smaller, lower-cost electric motorcycles

LiveWire, the electric motorcycle company that was spun out of Harley-Davidson several years ago, has just shown off two fun-sized electric motorcycles designed to make powered two-wheelers more accessible to new riders, both physically and financially.

The company took to HD Homecoming, a motorcycle festival in Milwaukee, to give a surprise unveiling of the new bikes.

The bikes, which wear what look to be smaller 12″ tires and offer a barely 30″ (76 cm) seat height, are smaller and nimbler than anything we’ve seen from LiveWire before.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t perform. These aren’t some 30 mph (48 km/h) mopeds. LiveWire confirmed that early testing shows respectable performance figures of around 53 mph (85 km/h) speeds and 100 miles (160 km) of range from the pair of removable batteries.

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I’m assuming that range is measured at a lower urban speed, but these appear to be purpose-built to give riders the capability to ride where and how they want at a much more affordable price than LiveWire has ever offered.

Showing off both a trail and a street version, the LiveWire seems to be covering all of its bases.

“The trail model is intended for riding backyards, pump tracks, or even out on the ranch or campgrounds,” the brand explained. “The street model is perfect for urban errands, new riders, mini-moto fans, and anyone looking for a new hobby in the form of a readily customizable, approachable electric moto experience.”

LiveWire hasn’t shared any pricing details yet, and the two models are understood to still be in their development phase, but the advanced stages of the designs mean we likely won’t have to wait too much longer.

And with most of LiveWire’s current electric motorcycle models in the $16k- $17k, these bikes could conceivably cost less than half of that figure, changing the equation for young riders who can’t afford a luxury ride.

Electrek’s Take

Of course, they had to do this unveiling at the exact time that I was banging out a multi-thousand-word treatise bemoaning the fact that LiveWire hadn’t launched any smaller models yet. Hmmm, maybe it’s time for an article about how the e-bike industry needs a single battery standard.

Anyway, I’m all-in on this! I can’t even describe how excited this news makes me! This is an important step for LiveWire’s growth because the kind of folks who are drawn to electric motorcycles are often a different market than that sought by traditional legacy motorcycle manufacturers. LiveWire’s existing models are impressive, both in their extreme performance and their design, but they’re still powerhouses that provide more kick than most riders probably need.

These new mini e-motos could be exactly what new riders are looking for. Consider all the teens and young adults ripping it up on Sur Rons in towns across the US right now. Those Sur Rons aren’t street-legal bikes and they were never meant for the riding they’re most commonly being used for. But a street bike in a fun little Grom form factor like LiveWire is showing off? It could scratch that itch and also provide riders with the safety and support of a motorcycle company that comes from a storied history of over 100 years of motorcycle design, all from a new brand like LiveWire that speaks young riders’ language.

And that trail version – same thing. It’s going to offer the fun off-road riding that so many are looking for, yet do it in a well-designed package that isn’t just produced by some nameless factory in China trying to eke out the best profit margin.

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