President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 30, 2025.
Kent Nishimura for The Washington Post | Getty Images
Donald Trump has confirmed he will impose 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada from February, following through on threats issued weeks earlier.
The blanket tariffs on the countries’ products will come into effect on Saturday, Feb. 1.
However, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday evening, Trump told reporters his administration was yet to determine whether oil imports would be included in the policy, noting that the decision was pinned on whether the two nations “treat us properly” and “if the oil is properly priced.”
“Oil is going to have nothing to do with it as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We’re going to make that determination probably tonight on oil. Because they send us oil, we’ll see – it depends on what their price is.”
March contracts for Brent crude — the global benchmark for oil prices — were marginally higher at 8:06 a.m. London time, trading around $76.92 a barrel.
Trump told reporters the looming duties were being leveraged “for a number of reasons” and “may or may not rise with time.”
“Number one is the people that have poured into our country so horribly and so much,” he said. “Number two is the drugs fentanyl and everything else that have come into the country, and number three are the massive subsidies that we’re giving to Canada and Mexico in the form of deficits.”
“I’ll be putting the tariff of 25% on Canada and separately 25% on Mexico, and we’ll really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries,” he added.
There’s no denying how popular high-power electric bikes have become. And a quick way to get more power without having to go with a ridiculously large motor is to simply double up, putting one motor in each of a bike’s wheels. That’s what Wallke did with the Wallke H7 AWD, and the result is a fast e-bike that is as powerful as it is chunky – which is to say, very.
To see my testing of the Wallke H7 AWD, check out my video review below.
Or keep reading below the video for my full written review on this high power e-bike!
Range: Unlisted (pretty darn far based on the massive battery)
Battery: 48V 60 Ah (2,880 Wh)
Weight: 130 lb (59 kg)
Max load: Claimed 400 lb (181 kg)
Brakes: Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes
Extras: Large color LCD display, LED head/tail light, half-twist throttle, removable battery, padded rear rack, fenders, kickstand, and companion app
Purely and simply over the top for an e-bike
The Wallke H7 AWD is so overspec’d that in many jurisdictions, you wouldn’t even be able to call it an electric bicycle. This is more of an e-moped in the truest sense. In fact, the bike can reach speeds of up to 33 mph on throttle operation, no pedaling needed, meaning it truly is well outside of the 3-class electric bicycle system.
That may be an issue for some people, but it will be a selling point for others. Many riders want something they can ride fast without needing to pedal, but keep in mind that such a feature usually means you’ll have issues trying to pass this off a street-legal electric bicycle. If that matters or not in your jurisdiction is an important disticintion that you’ll want to look up. Some states are cracking down, while others don’t seem to care.
A big part of the crazy high speed in the Wallke H7 AWD is thanks to its dual motor design. The pair of 1,000W motors make a solid 2,000W of continuous power, and closer to 3,200W of peak power. That gets transferred through a set of 20×4.0″ fat tires and is enough to sling gravel in any direction you choose. Again, that’s some serious power that requires some serious responsibility, so the rider has been warned.
To back up that power is a commensurately large battery. The 48V 60Ah battery pack is still removable, but it’s one of the largest I’ve ever seen on a retail e-bike. They don’t publish a range figure, but based on my testing, reasonable throttle speeds should net riders at least 75 miles of range. Pedal assist can take the bike much farther, if you actually want to pedal a 130 lb e-bike.
How does it ride?
The Wallke H7 AWD rides decently well, but it’s a bit janky at top speed. There’s some weird flutter that I would get in the rear end at around 31-33 mph. I could never quite place it, as it’s a bit hard to feel around behind you at such speeds, but I think it’s likely either the rear fender or the kickstand. Either could be slightly resonating with vibrations or fluttering in the wind, but I can’t be sure it really is either. Suffice it to say that something was slightly dancing around for me at the top end.
The suspension is also welcome but not exactly top-notch either. Hitting bumps results in a symphony of sounds originating from the bike’s center, likely resulting from a combination of the battery, suspension, fender, and perhaps the kickstand. The suspension does help the ride, but this is a heavy bike, and you’re going to feel the bumps even with 4″ of air-filled rubber and a few springs underneath you.
I’ll also say that while the bike can be pedal-assisted, the gearing only makes it comfortable up to around 20 mph or so. I can reasonably pedal up to 25 mph, but any faster and I just can’t comfortably keep up – the gearing just isn’t high enough in top gear.
So while there are some issues like the ones I discussed above, there are some great features, too.
The color screen is quite attractive, and probably better than most would expect on a direct-to-consumer e-bike. The brakes are also very punchy, which is important for a fast and heavy e-bike. The quad-piston hydraulic disc brake loadout is a welcome addition.
The LED lights are quite good, and the headlight was sufficient for night riding, illuminating the bike lane in front of me so I could spot obstacles in my path. However, the headlight does vibrate a bit at higher speeds, meaning your lighted area can shake up and down a bit.
And then there’s the price. At the current sale price of US $2,199, this is a lot of bike for a fairly reasonable price. Remember, you’re getting an out-of-class moped here, more or less, so it’s hard to compare directly to most ‘normal’ electric bikes. But consider that you’re getting around 4x the amount of power and battery as a ‘normal’ e-bike, and the price isn’t all that much higher.
That being said, you can get nicer, more comfortable e-bikes for lower figures elsewhere. So the reason someone would buy the Wallke H7 AWD is pretty much for the power and the range, and not much else. In that regard, it delivers on what it promises. This bike will take you far and it will knock your socks off while doing it.
Just make sure you ride responsibly and where appropriate. Fast and powerful e-bikes are fun, but they aren’t for everyone and they aren’t for everywhere.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we explore the Tesla Q4 earnings call’s high-level weirdness, including the impact Bitcoin had on the bottom line, what it means for stock prices, and whether or not you’ll die without Tesla’s solar roof.
You’ll also hear Jo ask, “What even is a P/E Ratio, and why does it matter?” before asking if we’ll all be killed without a solar roof, and learning about what happens when our phones run out of power. All this and more – enjoy!
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Kia confirmed it will launch the EV4 this year as it fills out “a full lineup of popular EVs.” According to Kia, the EV4 is “an entirely new type of EV sedan with a distinct style and sports car-like proportions. However, it’s expected to be much cheaper than your average sports car. With its official debut around the corner, we are getting a closer look at what we can expect from the Kia EV4, including the inside. Check it out below.
The EV4 was revealed as a concept in October 2023 alongside the EV3 and EV5 as part of Kia’s new mass-market electric vehicle lineup.
After launching the EV3 in Korea, it’s now arriving in Europe and other overseas markets. The EV5 was initially launched in China, but Kia will bring the lower-priced electric SUV to Europe, Korea, Australia, and other regions in 2025.
Kia announced earlier this week that “the sedan-type electric vehicle EV4 will be launched sequentially around the world” after reporting Q4 and full-year 2024 earnings.
The EV4 will join the EV3, EV5, EV6, and EV9 to complete Kia’s “EVs for all,” with prices ranging from around $30,000 to upwards of $80,000. At the time, Kia said it plans to “significantly” and “rapidly” expand its electric car lineup, and it’s already making good on its promise.
Check out the Kia EV4, inside and out
Although we’ve already seen it a few times in public, including in the US late last year, a new video from HealerTV gives us a better idea of what to expect from the Kia EV4, including its interior.
One of the first things you will notice is the unique exterior profile. It appears to maintain much of the concept’s design with bold character lines and a streamlined silhouette.
Although not shown, the EV4 will feature Kia’s new ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system with dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment screens.
The video shows what appears to be a spacious interior despite its expected smaller size. You can see how a car seat fits in the back seat with plenty of space.
Although prices and other specs will be revealed closer to launch, the EV4 is expected to start at around $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the market. Like the EV3, it’s also based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, which should deliver around 375 miles (WLTP) range, if not more, with the larger 81.4 kWh battery.
A hatchback EV4 model was also spotted out in public last year. The variant will likely be aimed at the European market.
Would you buy Kia’s electric sedan for around $35,000? Let us know in the comments below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.