Electric bicycle company SUPER73’s first electric motorcycle expected out this year
The SUPER73 C1X has become a hotly anticipated light electric motorcycle design from Los Angeles-based electric bike company SUPER73. But eager riders may not have to wait that much longer.
According to a recent report by the Orange County Business Journal, the SUPER73 C1X is expected to launch sometime this spring. That would mark a significant shortening of the original timeline, with the company stating a year ago that the bike’s production was expected to begin in “late 2023.”
SUPER73 appears to have doubled down on the new electric motorcycle’s development, with a team of four engineers comprised of two former Rivian employees. The electric truck maker Rivian, in an ironic twist of fate, is in fact working on its own electric bicycle with the help of designers plucked from e-bike companies. There’s no timeline on the Rivian e-bike, so SUPER73’s C1X electric motorcycle could conceivably hit the streets first.
SUPER73 C1X development continues
The SUPER73 C1X doesn’t come with many published specs yet, though we have a general idea of the company’s targets.
A top speed of “at least 75 mph (120 km/h)” and a maximum city range of 100 miles (160 km). Based on the way most light electric motorcycle companies rate city range, that would put the battery pack at an estimated size of at least 5-6 kWh of capacity.
Interestingly, SUPER73’s first electric motorcycle seems to have caught the eye not just of motorcycle fans, but also prospective riders that haven’t previously ridden a motorcycle.
The company surveyed its customers and found that 60% of people wanted the company to make a motorcycle, despite also finding that 67% of its buyers have never ridden a motorcycle before.
Pricing information for the C1X is nearly as vague as performance specs, though the company appears to have several models planned to allow it to hit multiple price points. The entry-level model is expected to slip in under the $10K mark, putting it in competition with other low-cost commuter electric motorcycles like the Ryvid Anthem, SONDORS Metacycle, and CSC RX1E.
Prospective riders can get their name on the reservation list for a lot cheaper, putting down just a $73 deposit to hold their spot.
Electric bicycle companies becoming moto-curious isn’t anything new in the industry. SUPER73 is arguably one of the closest e-bike companies to e-moto performance, with the brand’s fast and powerful electric bicycles already famously flirting with the fuzzy line between e-bikes and e-motorcycles.
Other e-bike companies have explored similar paths. SONDORS unveiled its own electric motorcycle, the Metacycle, way back in early 2021. It took nearly two years to come to market, but it eventually scored praise for its ease of use and innovative design, despite leaving many early fans disappointed when it didn’t quite live up to its original performance specs. When viewed through the lens of a capable scooter in a motorcycle’s body, the bike tends to receive favorable reviews – including my own. However, the company recently launched a promotion that cut nearly 40% off the price of the $6,500 bike, raising demand questions.
Electric bicycle drivetrain maker Bafang has also expanded into electric motorcycles with the launch of a sister brand developed to build motors and powertrains for much more powerful electric two-wheelers than the electric bicycles that the brand has largely focused on.
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Environment
Baidu- and Geely-backed JiYue brand unveils ROBO X EV that goes 0-100 km/h in under 1.9 sec
JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.
JiYue has only existed since 2021, when parent tech company Baidu announced it was expanding from software development into physical EV production, joining forces with multinational automotive manufacturer Geely.
The new “robotic EV” marque initially launched as JIDU with $300 million in startup capital before garnering an additional $400 million in Series A funding, led by Baidu, in January 2022.
In August 2023, Geely took on a larger role in JIDU alongside a greater financial stake as the brand reimagined itself as JiYue, inheriting the JIDU logo and its flagship model, the 01 ROBOCAR.
In December 2023, Baidu and Geely unveiled a second model called the JiYue 07. It was born from JIDU’s ROBO-02 concept, which debuted in 2023 and was designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 in China.
The 07 finally launched in China earlier this year with 545 miles of range. With an all-electric SUV and sedan on the market, JiYue has unveiled an exciting new entry in the form of a performance supercar called the ROBO X. Check it out:
JiYue’s new ROBO X EV is available for pre-order now
JiYue showcased its new ROBO X hypercar in front of the crowd at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show earlier today. Similar to previous models but with a unique spin, JiYue described the ROBO X as an AI smart-driving supercar that, for the first time, blends artificial intelligence and autonomous driving into a high-performance, race-ready EV.
When we say “high performance,” we mean a quad motor liquid-cooled drive system that can propel the ROBO X from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 1.9 seconds. JiYue called the new ROBO X a “performance beast” with “the perfect balance of excellent aerodynamic performance and high downforce.” JiYue CEO Joe Xia was even bolder in his statements about the ROBO X:
For the next 20 years, the design of supercars will bear the shadow of Robo X. This is the best design in the history of Chinese automobiles today, and it is a landmark presence.
Fighter-style airflow ducts bolster the EV’s aerodynamics, efficiency, and overall posture. Per JiYue, the two-seater ROBO X is expected to deliver a maximum range of over 650 km (404 miles).
The new supercar features falcon-wing doors, a carbon fiber integrated frame, and a professional racing HALO safety system offering 360° of support. The interior features an AI smart cockpit with SIMO real-time feedback to give drivers an immersive racing experience.
Furthermore, JiYue said the vehicle will utilize parent company Baidu’s Apollo self-driving technology, which could make it the first electric supercar to apply pure-vision ADAS technology that enables track-level autonomous driving.
Following today’s unveiling of the ROBO X, JiYue has officially opened up pre-orders in China for RMB 49,999 ($6,915). That said, reservation holders will need to be patient as JiYue shared that it doesn’t expect to begin mass production of the ROBO X until 2027.
What do you think? Will people be talking about the ROBO X for the next 20 years?
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPedition 2.0, Yamaha e-bikes pulling out of North America, LiveWire unveils an electric scooter concept, PNY readying its cargo e-scooters for pilot testing, Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:30 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:30 a.m. ET):
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Crude oil futures were on pace Friday for loss for the week, as a supply gut and a strong dollar depresses the market.
U.S. crude oil is down more than 2% this week, while Brent has shed nearly 2%.
Here are Friday’s energy prices:
- West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.56 per barrel, down 14 cents, or 0.2%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has shed about 4%.
- Brent January contract: $72.36 per barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.28%. Year to date, the global benchmark has lost nearly 6%.
- RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.99 per gallon, up 0.46%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen more than 1%.
- Natural Gas December contract: $2.70 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.98%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 4%.
The International Energy Agency has forecast a surplus of more than 1 million barrels per day in 2025 on robust production in the U.S. OPEC revised down its demand forecast for the fourth consecutive month as demand in China remains soft.
A strong dollar also hangs over the market, as the greenback has surged in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory.
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