Ride1Up Prodigy V2 launched as brand’s highest-end (but not high-priced) e-bike yet
Ride1Up, the San Diego-based electric bike maker known for its high-value electric bike offerings, has just released a new bike that pushes the boundary on what to expect from a budget e-bike company. The newly unveiled Ride1Up Prodigy V2 is set to compete with much higher-end electric bicycles from major brands, yet at around half of the cost.
Ride1Up first made waves with the original unveiling and launch of the Prodigy back in late 2021 and early 2022, marking the first mid-drive e-bike for the company.
Now the e-bike maker has reworked that model in the Prodigy V2 unveiled today, and it’s undoubtedly better than ever.
The bike features a Brose TF Sprinter motor with a powerful 90Nm of torque. This German-made mid-drive motor is featured on many high-end electric bikes and is considered to be one of the more sophisticated drives on the market for Class 3 e-bikes that travel at speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h). The motor includes a built-in torque sensor for the highest-performance pedal assistance and features Brose’s 1.5-in color display on the handlebars.
The motor is paired with a 504 Wh battery, offering between 30-50 miles (48-80 km) of range depending on the pedal-assist setting. Like nearly all German-made motors, there is no throttle option, which helps result in the bike’s increase range on a single charge. With 90Nm of torque though, the highest power level is sure to make big hill climbs and strong starts easier on riders’ legs, even without a throttle.
The lightweight aluminum frame is built for a comfortable riding geometry and includes features like an air-suspension fork with 100mm of travel, 40 lb. (18 kg) capacity rear rack integrated into the complete fender set, and full LED lighting in the front and rear. For braking, the bike features quad-piston Tektro HD M745 hydraulic disc brakes in the front and rear. Transferring that power (and braking) to the road or trail, the bike rolls on a set of Maxxis Rekon Race 27.5 x 2.25″ tires.
The Ride1Up Prodigy V2 comes in both a step-over and a step-through frame option, and also features two different drivetrain options. The chain-drive version is priced at $2,395 and offers a Shimano Alivio 9-speed cassette with a microSHIFT Advent 9-speed derailleur and a KMC 9-speed chain designed specifically for mid-drive electric bikes. This version of the bike is listed as either the ST (step-through) or XR (step-over).
That 9-speed setup is already a nicer drivetrain with higher-end components than we’re used to seeing on budget-priced electric bikes, but Ride1Up offers an even higher-end option as well.
Priced at $2,695, the Ride1Up Prodigy LS (step-through) and LX (step-over) both feature a Gates carbon belt drive instead of the chain and include an Enviolo Trekking continuously variable transmission rear hub. Compared to traditional internally geared rear hubs, the Enviolo CVT offers infinite step-less gear ratios throughout its gear range.
The bikes weigh between 58-61 lb. (26-27.5 kg) depending on the drivetrain and come in three color options of Onyx Black, Faded Bronze, or Sea Fog (which seems to be a light cream-like color).
While this launch marks Ride1Up’s most premium e-bike yet, the price seriously undercuts many higher-end competitors. For example, the performance is on par with bikes like a Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0, yet at less than half the MSRP. Or alternatively, you can find some of these same components on the Serial 1 Rush City, a high-end electric bike that also costs over twice as much as the Ride1Up Prodigy V2.
Electrek’s Take
There’s a lot to like about this e-bike, but I also think it’s important to focus on the value, especially since this is coming from an e-bike brand known for its low prices.
This certainly puts Ride1Up in new territory for its highest-price model yet, but it does so while offering so much value at the same time.
I can compare this to when Rad Power Bikes tried to move into the value-premium market with its “Plus” models, but there’s a major difference. Unlike Rad, which suddenly started offering $2,500 e-bikes with quite similar hub motors and drivetrains as its more standard $1,500 e-bikes, Ride1Up has actually upped the game here. Yes, Ride1Up is in new higher pricing territory, but the company is actually offering more for that price. We’re talking high-end German mid-drive motors, Gates carbon belt drives, continuously variable Enviolo transmissions… the works!
Other e-bike companies, take note: This is how you push your brand into value-premium territory. You do it by actually offering the design and components to warrant such prices. And at the same time, you maintain your selection of quality $1,095 to $1,195 e-bikes for those that still want a more budget-friendly option.
I can’t wait to test out this new Ride1Up Prodigy V2, and I should be back in the next couple weeks with a full review for you guys!
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Volvo Cars took the wraps off new-for-2026 S90 plug-in hybrid, calling the big sedan the most elegant and comfortable 90 yet, promising nearly 50 miles (80 km) of all-electric range and a comprehensive suite of high-end technology and design updates … but if you’re reading this in English, you probably can’t have one.
The updated Volvo S90 is still blinking into the spotlight, but there are already reports that Volvo Cars has decided against bringing the slick new sedan to the US. And Canada. And the UK. And … you get the idea.
That’s too bad, too – because the SPA S90 has always been a comfortable and capable performer. Alas, sedans aren’t selling, you could get whiplash trying to keep track of all the tariff news these days, and Volvo (like a lot of companies in 2025, frankly), no longer needs the English-speaking world to keep it profitable.
“The S90 is a key part of our product portfolio for the coming years in some of our Asian markets,” says Erik Severinson, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Volvo Cars. “Together with the new fully electric ES90, the new S90 ensures we have a complete and attractive offering for customers who value safety and want to drive a large, sleek Volvo sedan.”
Invoking the electric-only ES90 EV is a key point here – and Volvo is pushing its marketing heavily into the idea that the PHEV version(s) of the face-lifted luxo-cruiser is “really” an EV, with press copy that reads:
As a plug-in hybrid, the new S90 is an electric car with a back-up plan. It offers 80 kilometers of fully electric range on a single charge under the WLTP testing cycle, while also providing more power when needed. This means that many S90 drivers will be able to do their daily commute with zero tailpipe emissions. Volvo Cars’ data shows that nearly half of the distance covered by the latest plug-in hybrid Volvo cars is powered purely by electricity.
There’s plenty to unpack there – not the least of which is whether or not the cars’ owners will ever actually plug them in. My personal experience with friends and neighbors who own T8/PHEV Volvos now would tell me that they’re more likely than, say, Jeep Wrangler 4xe owners to plug-in … but it hardly matters at this point.
The new S90 will be available to order for customers in China this summer, with selected other markets following later.
Check out some of the official press photos, below, then let us know whether or not you’ll miss seeing new S90s on English-speaking roads in the comments.
Volvo S90 photo gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Cars.
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On today’s fleet-focused episode of Quick Charge, we talk about a hot topic in today’s trucking industry called, “the messy middle,” explore some of the ways legacy truck brands are working to reduce fuel consumption and increase freight efficiency. PLUS: we’ve got ReVolt Motors’ CEO and founder Gus Gardner on-hand to tell us why he thinks his solution is better.
You know, for some people.
We’ve also got a look at the Kenworth Supertruck 2 concept truck, revisit the Revoy hybrid tandem trailer, and even plug a great article by CCJ’s Jeff Seger, who is asking some great questions over there. All this and more – enjoy!
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Thanks to Trump’s repeated executive order attacks on US clean energy policy, nearly $8 billion in investments and 16 new large-scale factories and other projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized in Q1 2025.
The $7.9 billion in investments withdrawn since January are more than three times the total investments cancelled over the previous 30 months, according to nonpartisan policy group E2’s latest Clean Economy Works monthly update.
However, companies continue to invest in the US renewable sector. Businesses in March announced 10 projects worth more than $1.6 billion for new solar, EV, and grid and transmission equipment factories across six states. That includes Tesla’s plan to invest $200 million in a battery factory near Houston that’s expected to create at least 1,500 new jobs. Combined, the projects are expected to create at least 5,000 new permanent jobs if completed.
Michael Timberlake of E2 said, “Clean energy companies still want to invest in America, but uncertainty over Trump administration policies and the future of critical clean energy tax credits are taking a clear toll. If this self-inflicted and unnecessary market uncertainty continues, we’ll almost certainly see more projects paused, more construction halted, and more job opportunities disappear.”
March’s 10 new projects bring the overall number of major clean energy projects tracked by E2 to 390 across 42 states and Puerto Rico. Companies have said they plan to invest more than $133 billion in these projects and hire 122,000 permanent workers.
Since Congress passed federal clean energy tax credits in August 2022, 34 clean energy projects have been cancelled, downsized, or shut down altogether, wiping out more than 15,000 jobs and scrapping $10 billion in planned investment, according to E2 and Atlas Public Policy.
However, in just the first three months of 2025, after Trump started rolling back clean energy policies, 13 projects were scrapped or scaled back, totaling more than $5 billion. That includes Bosch pulling the plug on its $200 million hydrogen fuel cell plant in South Carolina and Freyr Battery canceling its $2.5 billion battery factory in Georgia.
Republican-led districts have reaped the biggest rewards from Biden’s clean energy tax credits, but they’re also taking the biggest hits under Trump. So far, more than $6 billion in projects and over 10,000 jobs have been wiped out in GOP districts alone.
And the stakes are high. Through March, Republican districts have claimed 62% of all clean energy project announcements, 71% of the jobs, and a staggering 83% of the total investment.
A full map and list of announcements can be seen on E2’s website here. E2 says it will incorporate cancellation data in the coming weeks.
Read more: FREYR kills plans to build a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia
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