The Engwe M20 electric bike looks like another SUPER73 knockoff. And it is. But the bike also has two things going for it: It has an option for a second battery pack to double its range, and it also offers full suspension for less than the price of a non-suspension SUPER73.
So what’s the trade-off? Well, nothing here is amazing quality. It’s all fairly basic, decent-level stuff. But nothing is going to knock your socks off when it comes to the build quality.
Even so, there are plenty of redeeming qualities. From the long range to the high power and even the dual headlights, Engwe has made up for quality with sheer quantity. And it actually works pretty well.
Check out what I mean in my video review below. Then keep reading for all of the details on the Engwe M20 e-bike.
Engwe M20 Video Review
Engwe M20 tech specs
- Motor: 750W rear geared hub motor (1,000W peak power)
- Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
- Range: Up to 94 miles (151 km) on pedal assist with two batteries
- Battery: 2x 48V 13Ah 624 Wh
- Weight: 89 lb (40.5 kg) with 2x batteries
- Max capacity: 265 lb (120 kg)
- Wheels: Mag wheels with 20-inch x 4.0-inch tires
- Brakes: Mechanical disc brakes with 160mm rotors
- Extras: Dual headlight, taillight, fenders, 7-speed gearing, front & rear suspension, kickstand
- Price: $1,299 (single battery) or $1,599 (dual battery)
What do we have here?
The Engwe M20 is a prototypical moped-style e-bike.
Instead of a step-through moped frame, it opts for a common box-style minibike frame.
There’s no adjustable seat, making this more of a motorcycle-style ride. Sure, there are functional pedals, but pedaling is not comfortable due to the seating position. It’s possible, but you probably wouldn’t want to do it for 10 miles straight. I’m only 5’7″ (170 cm), and even I have that knees-in-your-chest feeling while pedaling it.
But while the Engwe M20 has half the pedaling comfort of most e-bikes, it doubles up elsewhere. Not only do you have the option for dual batteries (though you can save $300 by choosing the single battery option), but you’ve also got dual suspension and even dual headlights.
Why do you need two headlights on a bicycle? I have absolutely no idea. My only guess is that if one dies, at least you’ve got some redundancy built into the system.
But the dual suspension is actually a bit more useful. The front suspension is better than the rear, which I found to be a little stiff for my lightweight self. Since the rear isn’t adjustable, there was no way for me to dial in the suspension to my weight. Even so, it still made a difference when hopping off curbs or hitting potholes.
The front suspension isn’t top-notch stuff either, but it arguably makes an even bigger impact by taking the shock out of your wrists. Even without rear suspension, most e-bike riders are used to raising out of the saddle and letting their legs do the suspension work when necessary. But with both front and rear suspension, that’s less of a requirement on the Engwe M20.
The dual batteries are a great option for anyone that finds themselves on longer rides. The company claims a max range of 47 miles (75 km) with a single battery, but that’s on pedal assist at lower speeds.
You’ve got a 1,000W peak-rated motor at your disposal and Class 3 top-speed capability with a claimed max speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). So you’re probably not going to be sticking to low power very often. And when you consider that the pedal assist lag from the cadence sensor is considerable, to the tune of a couple of seconds, you’ll be even more likely to grab some throttle.
Throttle-centric riders will probably get somewhere between 20-25 miles (32-40 km) per battery in real-life riding. So with the dual battery setup, a solid 40-50 miles (64-80 km) is a reality.
Speaking of reality, that 28 mph (45 km/h) top speed didn’t quite make it into existence in my testing. I rarely saw 27 mph and usually topped out closer to 26 mph. Perhaps with a tailwind, you’d get 28 mph, but I won’t ding the Engwe M20 too hard there. Plenty of Class 3 e-bikes don’t make it all the way to 28, and falling 3-5% short of the limit might even be a buffer to ensure compliance with e-bike regulations.
One note on the 1,000W peak-rated motor: That peak power doesn’t seem to come on immediately. In fact, I was surprised that the bike felt a bit sluggish off the line. After several seconds I could get moving at a good clip, but there’s no chance you’re going to be slinging dirt or laying down rubber when you twist that throttle.
With performance out of the way, the rest of the bike is equally decent. Again, nothing here is top-notch, but it all seems to work well.
The mechanical disc brakes work fine, though I was surprised to see rather small 160mm rotors.
The throttle is a full-twist throttle, which is common on motorcycles and seated scooters but is nearly nonexistent on e-bikes. The main reason half-twist throttles are more common is because less experienced riders aren’t as likely to accidentally twist the handlebar and gun it while walking the bike around. I guess the motorcycle industry assumes riders have a bit more experience. There’s nothing wrong with a full-twist throttle on an e-bike, but I’m just a fan of half twists for safety. Wrist strain can be a consideration, though if you can’t apply a couple of ounces of pressure with your hand for extended periods, you probably aren’t in the group looking for a powerful e-bike.
The Engwe M20 comes with off-road tires that feature aggressively knobby tread, which is surprising considering this seems to be better outfitted as a street moped. Even so, the bike is still fun to lean hard into turns on the street. And if you really want to get your dual sport riding on, those knobby tires will let you do trails on the weekend and commuter rides during the week.
Engwe M20: What’s the verdict?
I’ve done a lot of nitpicking about the M20, but it’s actually a really fun e-bike to ride. And at either $1,299 or $1,599, depending on the number of batteries you choose, it’s a pretty darn affordable option in the e-moped space.
There are better deals out there, but few have this much battery at their disposal.
So for a thrilling type of ride that can handle various terrain all in one bike, the Engwe M20 scores points. It doesn’t have the quality of name-brand e-bikes like those from SUPER73, but it delivers a good time for a great price. And for a select group of riders trying to shop on a budget, that’s just as important.
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Rivian (RIVN) is already preparing for changes under the Trump administration. In anticipation of Trump’s new auto tariffs, Rivian built a reserve of EV batteries from Asia as a countermeasure.
Rivian has a plan to overcome Trump’s tariffs
At this point, nearly every major automaker has acknowledged the damaging impact of tariffs on vehicle imports in the US.
GM, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Volvo all withdrew their financial guidance due to the uncertainty. Rivian wasted no time preparing for the changes.
According to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, Rivian has been stockpiling lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells from Gotion High-Tech since last year. The battery cells are used in Rivian’s Commercial Van, initially used by Rivian and now open to other businesses.
Sources familiar with the matter said Rivian covered the upfront costs to stockpile inventory for later use. China’s Gotion paid for and built a separate reserve in the US.
The sources also said that Rivian is working with Samsung SDI to move a significant portion of its battery supply from Korea to the US. Battery cells from Samsung are used in Rivian’s R1S electric SUV and R1T pickup. All three vehicles are built at Rivian’s manufacturing plant in Normal, IL.
The move is to ensure Rivian has enough supply while minimizing potential higher prices and other complications from the tariffs.
As it prepares to launch its smaller, more affordable R2, sources said Rivian is looking to secure similar deals for batteries and raw materials in the future. Rivian has reportedly already signed its first agreement, but no other details were offered.
The upcoming R2 will use cells from LG Energy Solution. Although they will initially come from Korea, LG will produce the next-gen batteries in Arizona.
Electrek’s Take
Although Trump eased some of the impacts on imported vehicles on Wednesday, many tariffs remain in place and are already causing havoc in the industry.
Almost every major automaker has withdrawn earnings guidance due to the expected impacts. Like Rivian, others are taking countermeasures, including boosting US inventory in preparation. However, how long can this last?
Trump claims that the “Golden Age of America” is here, but it looks to be the complete opposite. The tariffs will only put the US further behind as China and others emerge as global leaders in tech.
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Tesla plans to deploy a public charging network for its Tesla Semi truck, starting with 46 stations in 2027, according to a new presentation.
At a new presentation at the ACT Expo this week, Tesla’s head of the Semi program, Dan Priestley, revealed several new details about the long-awaited electric semi-truck.
During the presentation, Priesley claimed that Tesla Semi trucks have already cumulatively traveled 7.9 million miles (12.7 million km).
He didn’t disclose how many trucks contributed to this total mileage, but he did add that “more than 26 Tesla Semi trucks” have each traveled over 100,000 miles.”
These numbers have been updated from a previous presentation in September 2024, when Priestley said the Tesla Semi fleet had traveled 7.5 million miles and that a single truck had traveled 250,000 miles (400,000 km) over the last 1.5 years.
Tesla also confirmed that the truck is going to be equipped with a 25 kW Power Take Off (PTO) at the back to power external systems, like a refrigerated trailer, for example (via Jake Guerra on LinkedIn):
Priestley also revealed a few more details about Tesla’s planned expansion of its charging network for the Tesla Semi.
The company currently operates the Supercharger network. It is the most extensive EV fast-charging network in North America, but it is geared toward passenger electric vehicles and not practical for bigger commercial vehicles, like Tesla Semi.
Tesla has already deployed Megachargers, its charging station for electric semi trucks, at its own installations and those of a few customer-partners who have been testing the Tesla Semi, but now it plans to deploy public charging stations to enable long-haul trucking with the electric truck.
Priestley said that Tesla is now aiming to deploy 46 Megacharging stations as part of its public charging network by early 2027.
It is not clear whether the locations on the map accurately represent the plans, but it appears likely based on previously reported Megacharger information.
The presentation follows an update released by Tesla this week about the Tesla Semi factory in Nevada.
The automaker aims to start volume production of the truck in 2026.
Tesla Semi was first supposed to enter production in 2019, but it has been significantly delayed as Tesla tried to deliver on the promise of range and capacity.
It appears that the automaker may be able to deliver on those, but at a significantly higher price than previously announced, as we recently reported.
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Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), already the first airport in the US to be fully powered by a microgrid, is expanding its solar field with utility Duquesne Light Company (DLC) and solar owner and operator IMG Energy Solutions.
The new solar project will add more than 11,216 panels to the airport’s existing solar array, generating an additional 4.7 megawatts MW) of renewable energy. That’s enough to cut around 5 million pounds of carbon emissions annually. It’s DLC’s first-ever power purchase agreement, and clean energy will go to the regional grid to help power homes and businesses in Pittsburgh.
This expansion will sit on 12 acres of land that used to be a landfill, adjacent to Pittsburgh Airport’s eight-acre solar array, which hosts nearly 10,000 panels. This new and old infrastructure, just off the airport exit from I-376, supports the airport’s 23-MW solar and natural gas microgrid, launched in 2021.
Allegheny County executive Sara Innamorato called the project a “fantastic step” toward a more sustainable future for the region. PIT also has plans to make sustainable aviation fuel onsite.
DLC will use 100% of this project’s energy and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to support its default service customers.
“We’re maximizing the use of airport assets for the betterment of the region – from air service to real estate development to energy innovation,” said PIT CEO Christina Cassotis. “And there’s more to come.”
The new solar field is expected to come online by 2027. So if you’re flying into Pittsburgh in a couple of years, you might spot it from your window seat.
Read more: Solar adds more new capacity to the US grid in 2024 than any energy source in 20 years
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