KKBike K26S full-suspension fat tire e-bike review: A 30 mph rocket of an electric bike
Fat tire electric bikes are all over the place these days. Full-suspension fat tire e-bikes are a bit rarer. But full-suspension fatties that can hit 30 mph (48 km/h) on throttle-only riding – that’s a unicorn right there. But that’s exactly what the KKBike K26S offers.
Despite the unfortunate name that puts too many Ks way too close together, the bike itself is actually quite awesome.
It’s something of a no-name brand, in that KKBike is one of many newcomers to the e-bike scene. That means I wasn’t expecting too much from the bike.
But despite the bar being low, the K26S hurdled so far up and over it that I can just about look the other way on the name.
To see what I mean about this surprisingly high-performance electric bike, check out my review video below!
KKBike K26S video review
KKBike K26S tech specs
- Motor: 750W geared rear hub motor with peak-rating of 1,200W
- Top speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)
- Range: Claimed 40-70 miles (64-112 km)
- Battery: 48V 17.5 Ah (840 Wh)
- Weight: 73 lb. (33 kg)
- Max load: 330 lb. (150 kg)
- Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors
- Extras: 8-speed Shimano drivetrain, large color LCD display, LED headlight with rock guard, thumb throttle, removable battery, plastic fenders, kickstand
High performance, medium quality
The KKBike K26S is not one of these weak-sauce fat tire e-bikes that looks like its built for off-road but is really meant to stick to the bike lane. This is an e-bike that can actually handle the trails.
Of course it’s not going to work great on super winding, technical trails with tight turns and switchbacks. It’s just not a nimble enough bike for that due to the large 4″ wide fat tires.
But the large volume tires that allow you to run lower air pressure make it great for cruising on dirt trails, fire roads, nature paths, packed sand or grassy fields. In those settings, this thing can really rip.
The combination of a powerful motor and full-suspension give it exactly what you need to actually handle rough terrain.
If it was just powerful but not comfortable, it’d shake you to pieces. I’ve ridden fully rigid electric fat tire bikes before. On rough fire roads they can get a bit dicey.
And if it had nice suspension but no power, it really wouldn’t be much fun since you couldn’t blast through the rough stuff.
But fortunately the KKBike K26S has both comfort AND power, which is what makes it such a hoot on the trails.
Granted, the suspension isn’t top shelf stuff. This is a $1,999 e-bike that’s on sale for $1,799. You’re just not going to get amazing suspension at this price.
But you still get some pretty decent stuff that’s fine for this type of recreational riding.
The hydraulic disc brakes are plenty grabby with what seem like overbuilt calipers. Plus they’re candy apple red, which surely adds a good few extra pounds of braking force.
And to make that braking force even stronger they come with 180 mm rotors, which is a nice thing to have on a fast e-bike like this. More on that in a moment.
The rest of the components on the KKBike K26S are all “good enough,” too.
The 8-speed Shimano shifter is basic yet acceptable (though bike snobs will surely pan it for being rather entry-level). The tires are simple Kenda fat tires, but they work just fine, even if they don’t have the same puncture protection as something higher-end. The headlight is perfectly adequate and even comes with a rock guard. And the touch points are decently comfortable.
Again, not amazing stuff, but it’s all fine for the type of recreational and leisure riding I was testing it with.
The plastic fenders aren’t my favorite and tend to flop around a lot, but I can live with it. If you don’t ride in wet stuff very often, you might even want to leave them off. I often leave plastic fenders off when they seem like more trouble than they’re worth.
The color screen was a nice addition, and it was actually quite visible in daylight — something that isn’t true of many color screens.
Can it really hit 30 mph?
Yes, the KKBike K26S hits 30 mph (48 km/h) top speeds. And to answer the next question, yes it can do so on throttle alone.
That’s not strictly legal for road use in many states in the US that rely on the three-class e-bike system. Class 3 e-bikes can only reach 28 mph (45 km/h), and they can only do it on pedal assist.
But if you’re mostly getting this bike for off-road use, then it doesn’t really matter. It’s a free country and you can ride however you like on private land.
In practice, I rarely found myself actually needing to get up to those speeds. Even with the suspension, doing 30 mph on dirt or gravel trails is a recipe for disaster. I don’t really want to wrap myself or the KKBike K26S around a tree, and so I was usually in the teens or twenties when I was keeping the bike on the dirt.
I’m not racing here, I’m just having fun.
Is it a deal?
The $1,999 price feels reasonable to me. The bike is solid, has a decently large battery and good power, and it even has full-suspension.
At the current $1,799 sale price (with $100 coupon that is clipable on the Amazon page), that seems like a seriously good deal. We’ve seen plenty of e-bikes that cost more and deliver far less.
There’s nothing super high-end about the KKBike K26S, but it does an excellent job at giving a taste of full-suspension off-road riding. I wouldn’t take it to Whistler, or really to any bike park with actual jumps, but it’s more than enough for little bunny hops on your local trail.
And for anyone hoping to soak up a few potholes on their way to work, it’ll handle that just fine too.
What do you think of the KKBike K26S? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
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After a month off trying to wrap our heads around all the chaos surrounding EVs, solar, and everything else in Washington, we’re back with the biggest EV news stories of the day from Tesla, Ford, Volvo, and everyone else on today’s hiatus-busting episode of Quick Charge!
It just gets worse and worse for the Tesla true believers – especially those willing to put their money where Elon’s mouth is! One believer is set to lose nearly $50,000 betting on Tesla’s ability to deliver a Robotaxi service by the end of June (didn’t happen), and the controversial CEO’s most recent spat with President Trump had TSLA down nearly 5% in pre-morning trading.
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Hyundai is getting ready to shake things up. A new electric crossover SUV, likely the Hyundai IONIQ 2, is set to debut in the coming months. It will sit below the Kona Electric as Hyundai expands its entry-level EV lineup.
Is Hyundai launching the IONIQ 2 in 2026?
After launching the Inster late last year, Hyundai is already preparing to introduce a new entry-level EV in Europe.
Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Europe, confirmed that the new EV will be revealed “in the next few months.” It will be built in Europe and scheduled to go on sale in mid-2026.
Hyundai’s new electric crossover is expected to be a twin to the Kia EV2, which will likely arrive just ahead of it next year.
It will be underpinned by the same E-GMP platform, which powers all IONIQ and Kia EV models (EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, and EV9).
Like the Kia EV3, it will likely be available with either a 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh battery pack option. The former provides a WLTP range of 267 miles while the latter is rated with up to 372 miles. All trims are powered by a single electric motor at the front, producing 201 hp and 209 lb-ft of torque.
Although it may share the same underpinnings as the EV2, Hyundai’s new entry-level EV will feature an advanced new software and infotainment system.
According to Autocar, the interior will represent a “step change” in terms of usability and features. The new system enables new functions, such as ambient lighting and sounds that adjust depending on the drive mode.
It’s expected to showcase Hyundai’s powerful new Pleos software and infotainment system. As an end-to-end software platform, Pleos connects everything from the infotainment system (Pleos Connect) to the Vehicle Operating System (OS) and the cloud.
Pleos is set to power Hyundai’s upcoming software-defined vehicles (SDVs) with new features like autonomous driving and real-time data analysis.
As an Android-based system, Pleos Connect features a “smartphone-like UI” with new functions including multi-window viewing and an AI voice assistant.
The new electric crossover is expected to start at around €30,000 ($35,400), or slightly less than the Kia EV3, priced from €35,990 ($42,500). It will sit between the Inster and Kona Electric in Hyundai’s lineup.
Hyundai said that it would launch the first EV with its next-gen infotainment system in Q2 2026. Will it be the IONIQ 2? Hyundai is expected to unveil the new entry-level EV at IAA Mobility in September. Stay tuned for more info. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
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Tesla has unveiled its lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cell factory in Nevada and claims that it is nearly ready to start production.
Like several other automakers using LFP cells, Tesla relies heavily on Chinese manufacturers for its battery cell supply.
Tesla’s cheapest electric vehicles all utilize LFP cells, and its entire range of energy storage products, Megapacks and Powerwalls, also employ the more affordable LFP cell chemistry from Chinese manufacturers.
This reliance on Chinese manufacturers is less than ideal and particularly complicated for US automakers and battery pack manufacturers like Tesla, amid an ongoing trade war between the US and virtually the entire world, including China.
As of last year, a 25% tariff already applied to battery cells from China, but this increased to more than 80% under Trump before he paused some tariffs on China. It remains unclear where they will end up by the time negotiations are complete and the trade war is resolved, but many expect it to be higher.
Prior to Trump taking power, Tesla had already planned to build a small LFP battery factory in the US to avoid the 25% tariffs.
The automaker had secured older manufacturing equipment from one of its battery cell suppliers, CATL, and planned to deploy it in the US for small-scale production.
Tesla has now released new images of the factory in Nevada and claimed that it is “nearing completion”:
Here are a few images from inside the factory (via Tesla):
Previous reporting stated that Tesla aims to produce about 10 GWh of LFP battery cells per year at the new factory.
The cells are expected to be used in Tesla’s Megapack, produced in the US. Tesla currently has a capacity to produce 40 GWh of Megapacks annually at its factory in California. The company is also working on a new Megapack factory in Texas.
Ford is also developing its own LFP battery cell factory in Michigan, but this facility is significantly larger, with a planned production capacity of 35 GWh.
Electrek’s Take
It’s nice to see this in the US. LFP was a US/Canada invention, with Arumugam Manthiram and John B. Goodenough doing much of the early work, and researchers in Quebec making several contributions to help with commercialization.
But China saw the potential early and invested heavily in volume manufacturing of LFP cells and it now dominates the market.
Tesla is now producing most of its vehicles with LFP cells and all its stationary energy storage products.
It makes sense to invest in your own production. However, Tesla is unlikely to catch up to BYD and CATL, which dominate LFP cell production.
The move will help Tesla avoid tariffs on a small percentage of its Megapacks produced in the US. Ford’s effort is more ambitious.
It’s worth noting that both Ford’s and Tesla’s LFP plants were planned before Trump’s tariffs, which have had limited success in bringing manufacturing back to the US.
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