Velotric Fold 1 review: A 28 MPH folding e-bike that looks good and rides better!
Velotric continues to impress me with each new launch, and the Velotric Fold 1 has no plans to ruin that streak. Having spent some solid saddle time with the bike now, I can tell you that this is one of the best electric folders out there right now for e-bike shoppers on a budget.
Don’t believe me? You’ll understand when you see it in action. Check out my video review below to see what I mean. And then continue on below for my complete thoughts on this impressive e-bike.
Velotric Fold 1 video review
Velotric Fold 1 tech specs
- Motor: 750W (1,050W peak-rated) rear hub motor with 70Nm of torque
- Top speed: 28 mph (50 km/h)
- Range: Claimed up to 55 miles (up to 88 km)
- Battery: 48V 608Wh
- Weight: 63 lb (28.6 kg)
- Load capacity: 440 lb (200 kg)
- Frame: Aluminum alloy
- Tires: 20×3.0″ semi-fat tires
- Brakes: Dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors
- Price: US $1,149
- Extras: LCD display, 5 pedal assist levels, front and rear LED light with brake light, front coil spring suspension, kickstand, internally routed cables, removable battery, cadence sensor, UL-compliant battery and e-bike system
In one word: Impressive
This e-bike definitely impressed me, plain and simple.
It’s a fairly unassuming bike and doesn’t outwardly look like it should be that special, but it hides away several key features that have definitely won me over. And that’s coming from someone who has tested literally hundreds of e-bikes over the last few years.
First of all, let’s talk about safety. The bike is certified for UL 2849, which covers the battery, motor, controller, wiring, charger, and basically everything else in the electrical system. The bike is also certified to the ISO 4210 standard, which includes all of the mechanical tests associated with e-bikes. So they’ve covered their bases more than most companies on the mechanical and electrical side of things.
Next, the bike just rides really nicely. The 28 mph is nice, but so many e-bikes are Class 3 these days that you need more than just a 28 mph speed to impress me.
The bike actually feels good at those speeds, partly due to the choice to include 3.0-inch semi-fat tires. These are more nimble than full 4.0-inch fat tires, yet offer better cushion than common 2 or 2.5-inch tires. When combined with the front suspension fork (which is alright but not exactly a showstopper component), the bike has some quite good shock absorption underneath it. The geometry also keeps the bike from feeling too squished in the cockpit, which can happen with some folding e-bikes.
Now let’s keep in mind that this is a $1,149 e-bike here, and so I’m not saying these are fancy Maxxis tires or high-end RockShox suspension – neither is true. But for the price, the ride and the feel impressed me right out of the gate. The bike just rides smoothly and feels wonderful underneath me.
Continuing on, the touch points all feel good. The saddle is comfortable for me, the buttons for the controls are easily accessible for a quick thumb jab, and the LCD screen is super bright. I had gotten used to Velotric’s nicer color screen on the company’s higher-end e-bikes, so I was worried at first about “downgrading” back to a simple black-and-white LCD screen. But I was amazed at how bright and easy to read the screen is.
You can see from my riding footage (screenshot below) that even in direct sunlight while barrelling down the road, the display is vivid and not washed out.
Many LCD screens are difficult to read unless you’re in the shade or have overcast skies. But this screen’s big digits and bright backlight make it incredibly visible.
Is the Velotric Fold 1 a Lectric XP 3.0 competitor?
Velotric doesn’t explicitly state this the way some other e-bike companies do, but yes, this e-bike is meant to compete against the Lectric XP 3.0, which is currently the best-selling e-bike in the US. And I’d say it gives that bike a serious run for its money.
Not only does it look nicer with the beautiful blue color option (though I guess the gray and white options from Velotric are alright too), but it has some real advantages on the use side. It’s easier to fold and you can take the battery out without folding the bike, which is great for anyone who wants to charge the battery off of the bike. I love the XP 3.0, but pulling the battery out when you don’t plan to completely fold the bike is a bit of a pain.
The Velotric Fold 1 still costs $100 more than the base XP 3.0, but it’s got some compelling advantages, not to mention the bigger battery. And as someone who loves bright e-bike colors, that shiny blue is worth something right there!
What would I improve?
No e-bike is without fault in my eyes, and so I can always find room for improvement. On the Velotric Fold 1, I’d have loved to see a slightly larger battery and a torque sensor for smoother pedal assist. But I can understand that both of those would be tricky while maintaining the current price tag.
I also wish they had included the Apple FindMy feature that they have in their higher-dollar e-bikes, though again, I certainly understand that some sacrifices must be made to keep this e-bike so affordable.
What’s the summary?
While the Velotric Fold 1 isn’t perfect, I find that when it is judged within its price class, it’s a serious top contender. The bike is equal parts fast yet comfortable, peppy yet controllable, and simple yet refined.
It’s easy to fold and not overly heavy (though it’s hard to call a 63-lb e-bike “lightweight”), and it’s pretty darn easy to toss it in the back of a car when you want to take it with you on a trip.
With hydraulic brakes, included rack and fenders, and full LED lighting, it’s got all the components I want to see on my everyday commuter e-bikes, yet is ready for more than just commutes. It can carry cargo and serve as a fun urban adventure bike, too.
The bike does make a few sacrifices to reach its attractive US $1,149 price tag, but I’m ok with those small compromises because the sum here is greater than the parts. And that’s what I’m always looking for: an e-bike that adds up to something that can meet my needs and feels good while doing it.
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British Columbia got its first 400 kW DC fast charger last week at Canadian C-store chain On The Run, but that’s not the good part. As part of a limited time offer, these chargers are FREE!
The Canadian convenience store chain just took the wraps off its new, ABB-developed, 400 kW chargers earlier this month, but they’re already planning to bring the ultra-fast 400 kW dispensers to at least four more locations in BC this spring, and have them online just in time for the summer road trip season – something On The Run hopes its customers will appreciate.
“The A400 charger delivers an enhanced customer experience, with reliability and performance from a 32-inch screen to higher power charging sessions and power sharing,” reads the company’s official announcement, via LinkedIn. “Download the Journie Rewards app to start the charge – free for a limited time.”
On The Run’s new 400 kW ABB DC fast chargers are compatible with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and can accommodate Tesla and other NACS-equipped vehicles with an adapter. That said, the company seems to imply that Tesla drivers in particular will have a maximum charging speed of “just” 50 kW, which feel hilarious (given the current state of affairs between Tesla and the Canadian government), but probably isn’t.
In addition to the ABB A400 400 kW units shown here, On The Run locations also employ the ABB Terra 184 dispensers rated at 180 kW. On The Run plans similar deployments at the four BC locations mentioned above, as well as two more each in Quebec and Ontario slated to go live towards the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk once mocked 350 kW charging speed as being “for a child’s toy,” despite the fact that, nearly nine years later, his own cars and Superchargers can barely make it to 325 kW while others have sailed right on past. I made fun of that fact on the Quick Charge episode shown, above – and, while I do think it’s funny and relevant, the much more relevant piece of news here is that companies like BP Pulse, Revel, and Wallbox are actively deploying 400 kW solutions, today (while others hit the same mark as far back as 2017).
It’s just a fact: Tesla has fallen way behind.
SOURCE | IMAGES: On The Run, via Electric Autonomy.
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Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.
Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.
First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.
Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.
“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.
Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.
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In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.
Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:
Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.
The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.
The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”
As Electrek reported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion.
As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.
In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:
Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.
As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.
Equinor says it’s considering appealing BOEM’s order.
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