To be fair, the Äike T electric scooter is an interesting and innovative ride by itself. But the fact that it’s the world’s first USB-C enabled electric scooter is icing on the cake.
But what makes the Äike T electric scooter stand out so much from the hundreds of other e-scooters on the market?
Pretty much every electric scooter in the world is built in China. I say pretty much, because there’s one model that isn’t, and you’re looking at it.
Meet the Äike T, a European-designed and built electric scooter that packs a number of surprises.
Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that most of the cool features surrounding this scooter relate to its design, not its performance.
The performance is good, don’t get me wrong. But there’s nothing majorly innovative on the performance side. In the US it gets a 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit, which is nice but a far cry from the faster electric scooters we’ve tested.
The 1,000W motor is certainly peppy, but again, it’s similarly powerful to many other electric scooters out there.
The battery’s 583 Wh capacity is commendable, but 25 miles (40 km) of range is once again fairly average for the nicer electric scooters already available in the US.
What makes the Äike T scooter so different?
So what makes this scooter special then? If the raw performance figures put it in the middle of the pack, then it’s all the other features and design considerations that make it stand out.
The first of which is that impressive battery. Not only is it removable, which is a nice bonus for anyone that doesn’t want to carry a 42 lb (19 kg) scooter around to find a plug. But the battery is also rechargeable via a USB-C charger, just like the kind you likely already use to charge your laptop and other devices.
It can accept up to 100W of charging via USB-C, though there’s another charge port if you want to get the higher power dedicated charger for even faster charging.
That USB-C feature means even if you’ve forgotten your charger, you can still beg, borrow, or steal a commonly available USB-C laptop charger somewhere. If you’re in class, you’ve probably got a few friends around that have one within reach. Both the battery and the scooter have a USB-C port, so you don’t have to pull the battery out to charge it.
The battery can also serve as a portable power station, meaning if your laptop or phone is low on juice then it can charge up your devices straight from the scooter’s battery. That’s probably not something most people will use everyday, but it’s a cool feature to have in a pinch. Think about it: Many of us have a big e-bike or e-scooter battery laying around that is only good for one thing: powering that ride. If you can get a second use out of it for backup power, then why not?!
There’s even more impressive tech under the hood. The scooter includes GPS anti-theft protection, and there’s even keyless smart-lock that uses your phone to activate the scooter – no key or PIN code needed.
Next, consider the physical design features. The side-supported wheels don’t just look cool, they also make it easier to change a tire. You’re unlikely to need to do that often though, since those 10″ tires are tubeless pneumatics that are less likely to get flats.
Braking is accomplished with a combination of a mechanical drum brake (i.e. no maintenance) and regenerative electric braking (i.e. also no maintenance). The entire scooter is IPX5 rated for water resistance, though it’s safer to avoid riding in rain anyway. But if you do get caught in a sprinkle or have to ride through puddles, you can be confident that the scooter can take it.
The entire construction and assembly is designed to be much more rugged than cheap imported scooters, and having European-based manufacturing gives the company the highest level of quality control to ensure those high standards.
Even things that many would consider superfluous, such as the kickstand, are nicely thought out. The double kickstand is minimalistic yet creates an extremely stable parking platform to prevent the scooter from falling over, which is good, because you probably don’t want to be knocking over and scratching up an expensive scooter.
Though even on that front, the Äike T isn’t really that expensive, at least not compared to the rest of the market. It’s priced at around €1,150 in Europe (approximately US $1,250), and in the US its available as part of a subscription program for around US $75 per month.
Suspension – what about it?
If there’s any single major downside to the Äike T electric scooter, it’s the suspension. Or rather the lack of it.
There’s no suspension in the scooter and so you’re going to feel bumps like sidewalk cracks and cobblestones more than on a full-suspension scooter.
Personally, this didn’t really bother me because was riding on mostly good streets, bike lanes, and sidewalks. I didn’t have many pot holes to watch out for and the ones I did, well, I knew where they were and I just didn’t hit them. The large 10″ tires also help smooth out smaller imperfections like the cracks between concrete slabs.
So for many people like me, it’s not a deal breaker. But if you have a lot of rough roads or bumpy trails where you plan to ride, you should know about the lack of suspension going in.
There is an upside here, though, and that’s increased ruggedness. Since there’s no suspension, there’s also no suspension to wear out or break. That might be a poor tradeoff for some, but others may appreciate knowing that the scooter is just one solid piece that’s designed to last.
In conclusion
Like I said, the scooter itself works well. I can’t commend it too much on performance because other than being a really stable platform to ride, it’s not like it’s that much different than other high end scooters in areas like speed, power, and range. It’s sufficiently fast and has a long enough range for most city riders.
The real gem here is everything else! The slick looking design, the GPS anti-theft, removable USB-C compatible battery, the nicely designed app for customizing the scooter, the ultra-low maintenance design, the automotive style tires with large diameter wheels. Even the broad, easily visible lighting is a great feature to see.
While it certainly costs more than a budget scooter, it’s also a high end, European-made electric scooter that will last a lot longer. So you have to pay a bit more than many Americans are used to for cheap Asian scooters, but you get a lot more too.
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U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Renewable energy giants appear relatively sanguine about U.S. President Donald Trump‘s anti-wind policies, describing the process of replacing fossil fuels with electrically powered products as “absolutely unstoppable.”
In a standalone executive order, which had been widely expected, the president temporarily suspended new or renewed leases for offshore and onshore wind projects and halted the leasing of wind power projects on the outer continental shelf.
“We are not going to do the wind thing. Big ugly windmills, they ruin your neighborhood,” Trump told his supporters at the Capital One Area in Washington on Monday. He previously described wind turbines as an economic and environmental “disaster.”
The measures formed part of a much broader energy offensive designed to “unleash” already booming oil and gas production. This included declaring a national energy emergency, promoting fossil fuel drilling in Alaska and signing an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris Agreement.
Joe Kaeser, chairman of the supervisory board of Siemens Energy, one of the world’s biggest renewables players, seemed unfazed by Trump’s sweeping energy agenda. In fact, Kaeser considered the policies a “slight plus” for the German energy technology group.
Shares of Siemens Energy jumped more than 8% on Wednesday morning, hitting a new 52-week high.
“We need to see what’s behind all the executive orders and the policies. So far, I believe there are many areas where actually Siemens Energy benefits a lot,” Kaeser told CNBC’s Dan Murphy at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday.
There will be uncertainty for low-carbon energy sectors, such as onshore and offshore wind, Kaeser said, before adding that Trump’s measures were unlikely to directly impact Siemens Energy. That’s partly because roughly 80% of the firm’s wind market is in Europe, Kaeser said.
“So, I believe that doesn’t move the needle. I’m much more worried about the European economies and how they deal with a very powerful nation, with a very powerful concept. We may or may not like it, because it’s got some nationalistic type of things, but if we look at it from the view of the American people, we better get something going,” Kaeser said.
Beyond onshore and offshore wind, Kaeser said Siemens Energy was well positioned to capitalize from a “booming” electrification market.
“Think about the data centers, artificial intelligence, we have waiting times now on large gas turbines. Actually, customers are coming and saying, hey can I make a reservation and I’ll pay you for a reservation? Just think about that. It hasn’t happened for a long time,” Kaeser said.
“I believe the electrification age has just begun. Whether that’s gas turbines or wind or solar or something else, we’ve got everything, and the customers decide in the end. And one thing I believe one should not underestimate, the White House is not buying much [but] the customer does,” he added.
‘Very, very optimistic’
Spanish renewable energy giant Iberdrola was similarly bullish about the road to full electrification, describing the transition away from fossil fuels as “absolutely unstoppable.”
“We are seeing that probably we are in the best moment for electrification,” Ignacio Galán, executive chairman of Iberdrola, told CNBC at WEF on Tuesday.
Galán cited soaring global demand for electrically powered data centers, low-emission vehicles as well as cooling and heating applications.
A logo on the nacelle of a wind turbine at the Martin de la Jara wind farm, operated by Iberdrola SA, in the Martin de la Jara district of Sevilla, Spain, on Friday, April 21, 2023.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“All of those things require more electricity 24 hours a day. Our business in the United States is mostly in this area, which is networks … and the regulation depends on the state authority, so I think that is not really affected at all,” Galán said.
“Depending on the legislation, we will make more or less investment in another part of our business,” he added, referring to Trump’s energy policy.
“We are very, very optimistic about the United States and the future,” Galán said.
Wind power woes
Shares of some European wind power giants fell shortly after Trump took aim at wind power plans.
Denmark’s Orsted, which recently announced a roughly $1.7 billion impairment charge on U.S. projects, dipped 4.4% on Wednesday morning, extending steep losses from the previous session.
The rapidly growing offshore wind sector has endured a torrid time in recent years, hampered by rising costs, supply chain disruption and higher interest rates.
Windmills pictured during a press moment of Orsted, on Tuesday 06 August 2024, on the transportation of goods with Heavy Lift Cargo Drones to the offshore wind turbines in the Borssele 1 and 2 wind farm in Zeeland, Netherlands.
Nicolas Maeterlinck | Afp | Getty Images
Artem Abramov, head of new energies research at Rystad Energy, said Trump’s energy agenda essentially means the likelihood of any new offshore developments in the U.S. has fallen to zero — at least for now.
“The US currently has around 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of advanced-stage offshore wind developments that have reached final investment decision and are under construction, which are unlikely to be impacted by the order,” Abramov said in a research note published Tuesday.
“Moderate risk amid the unfavorable investment climate is present for 10.5 GW of projects which secured necessary permits but have not reached investment decisions,” Abramov said.
“The remaining 25 GW of early-stage projects are unlikely to see any progress under the current administration,” he added.
— CNBC’s Spencer Kimball contributed to this report.
On today’s episode of Quick Charge, President Trump has a wild first day in office, but it’s not ALL bad, either. Plus: Tesla gets diner integration, Hyundai keeps the deal train rolling, and it’s dad’s 80th birthday.
We also look ahead to some possible discounts for Tesla insurance customers, some news on the upcoming “cheap” Cybertruck, and wonder out loud if Puerto Rico’s billion dollar solar project is going to see the light of day. 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.
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The Stripe logo on a smartphone with U.S. dollar banknotes in the background.
Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | LightRocket via Getty Images
Stripe cut 300 jobs, representing about 3.5% of its workforce, mostly in product, engineering and operations, CNBC has confirmed.
The payments company, valued at about $70 billion in the private markets, still expects to increase headcount by 10,000 by the end of the year, which would be a 17% increase, and is “not slowing down hiring,” according to a memo to staff from Chief People Office Rob McIntosh. Business Insider reported earlier on the cuts and the memo.
A Stripe spokesperson also confirmed to CNBC that a cartoon image of a duck with text that read, “US-Non-California Duck,” was accidentally attached as a PDF to emails sent to some of the employees who were laid off. Some of the emails mistakenly provided affected employees with an incorrect termination date, the spokesperson said.
McIntosh sent a follow-up email to staffers apologizing for the “notification error” and “any confusion it caused.”
“Corrected and full notifications have since been sent to all impacted Stripes,” he wrote.
In 2022, Stripe cut roughly 1,100 jobs, or 14% of its workers, downsizing alongside most of the tech industry, as soaring inflation and rising interest rates forced companies to focus on profits over growth. The Information reported that Stripe had a few dozen layoffs in its recruiting department in 2023.
Stripe’s valuation sank from a peak of $95 billion in 2021 to $50 billion in 2023, before reportedly rebounding to $70 billion last year as part of a secondary share sale. The company ranked third on last year’s CNBC Disruptor 50 list.
In October, Stripe agreed to pay $1.1 billion for crypto startup Bridge Network, whose technology is focused on making it easy for businesses to transact using digital currencies.
Brothers Patrick and John Collison, who founded Stripe in 2010, have intentionally steered clear of the public markets and have given no indication that an offering is on the near-term horizon. Total payment volume at the company surpassed $1 trillion in 2023.