Bike shop brands are finally giving e-bike riders what they want: throttles
To grossly oversimplify the e-bike market in the US, there are two types of electric bikes: those with hand throttles and those without. Traditional higher-end bike shop brands have long eschewed throttle-enable electric bikes, opting instead for pedal assist designs that only provide helping motor power when the rider also pedals. On the other hand, direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-bike companies have long embraced throttle e-bikes. As D2C brands scoop up more of the growing market, traditional bicycle brands are starting to take note.
Direct-to-consumer brands usually don’t have retail shops, and instead these D2C companies mostly sell bikes online that are shipped directly to riders. Brands like these, such as Rad Power Bikes, Lectric Ebikes, Ride1Up, Aventon, and others primarily target riders who weren’t traditionally cyclists but rather have taken to two-wheels thanks to the advent of easier-to-ride electric bikes.
Without the dealership markup, these D2C electric bikes are usually significantly cheaper than bike shop prices. And because they target riders who don’t come from the traditional bike shop culture, they also have one key difference: throttles.
Throttles e-bikes outsell pedal-assist-only e-bikes by a handy margin in the US. Many riders use their throttles to climb hills without the effort of pedaling, or to get rolling more easily from a stop, especially when there’s heavy cargo or a child on the bike’s rear rack. Other riders use throttles 100% of the time, treating their pedals like footrests and riding the bike like a mini-moped to cruise effortlessly to school or work. Still others find a happy balance, throttling when tired and using pedal assist when they want to get exercise or feel like a more involved part of the ride.
Traditional bicycle brands (think big names like Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc.) have long avoided throttles for several reasons, though key among them has been a prevailing perception among old-school cyclists that “throttles are cheating”. But now many of these very companies have finally come to a realization that riders aren’t competing; they’re commuting. And the addition of a hand throttle on an e-bike helps accomplish the very goal of that bike: getting more people out of cars and onto efficient two-wheeled vehicles.
Of course, the fact that throttle-less electric bikes have hit those companies in their pocketbooks has likely helped drive that case home even more clearly. There are simply more e-bike customers in North America looking for lower to mid-priced electric bikes with throttles than looking at $5,000 throttle-less electric bikes, no matter how sophisticated their engineering may be.
So now many of these same brands that have avoided throttles and more moderately-priced electric bikes in general are suddenly rushing to create more affordable throttle-enabled bikes. However, to avoid alienating their traditional cyclist communities or muddying their higher-end brand names, they’re often doing so under new sub-brands.
Take Giant Group, for example. Giant has long been a quality name brand in North American bike shops, but last year the company’s parent Giant Group created a new brand known as Momentum to offer more affordable e-bikes. This week the company launched its first throttle-enabled electric bike and is doing so under the Momentum brand. The new Momentum Cito E+ doesn’t only include a throttle but also features many of the hallmarks of today’s leading budget-priced electric bikes such as moto-inspired saddles and smaller-diameter fat tires.
The utility-oriented electric bike looks like nothing we’ve seen from Giant Group before, and that’s for a reason. The company appears to be jumping with both feet into current utility e-bikes trends.
As Giant Group’s Chief Branding Officer Phoebe Liu explained:
“The Cito E+’s impressive range and grip throttle gives riders the ability to go further than ever before—which is both energy saving and fun. Our design team purpose-built the bike to be a total utility solution that integrates motorcycle design and best-in-class technologies. Whether heading to work, getting groceries or exploring the outdoors, the Cito E+ offers a natural riding experience.”
Note the chunkier frame, lower saddle position, powerful 750W motor with 80Nm of torque, and fully upright riding stance – all features we rarely see from leading bike store brands. In fact, it looks like Giant Group took a page out of Rad Power Bikes’ playbook, notably the page with the RadRunner 3 Plus on it.
But unlike most budget brands, Momentum also brought higher quality components to the design, such as four-piston hydraulic disc brakes, a microSHIFT Acolyte 8-speed drivetrain, and combined torque and cadence sensors for smoother pedal assist. The company also included much higher performance than we normally see from bike shop brands, such as a large 780Wh battery and the ability to user-select between 20 mph and 28 mph speed limits (32 and 45 km/h).
At the same time though, Momentum tried to play it safe with the throttle, which is still new territory for the brand. Not only did they color it Poison Dart Frog red to presumably remind riders that that’s the dangerous end of the handlebars, but the throttle also only engages once the rider has reached at least 3.5 mph (5 km/h). I’d argue that removes a key benefit of the throttle – being able to get started from a stop – but at least the included torque sensor helps riders get smoother and quicker pedal assist from a stop.
This utility design is proving to be a common strategy for bike shop brands seeking to expand into the more popular and higher sales volume budget category.
Specialized made a similar move when it launched its more affordable Globe brand, starting with the Globe Haul ST as a similarly-styled short-tail cargo bike with utility properties.
In a now familiar strategy, Globe’s utility e-bike uses higher spec components than most budget brands, and most critically – it comes with a throttle.
And Specialized isn’t alone. Trek Bicycle Company also launched its first throttle-enabled electric bike, this time under its more budget-focused Electra brand. The new Electra Ponto Go! also uses the liberty granted to it when freed from its parent company’s conservative engineers to play with a moto-inspired design that generously grants riders a throttle for peak fun.
As more bike shop brands awaken to the massive money raked in by leading throttle-enabled budget electric bikes, an increasing number of similarly-styled e-bikes is all but a foregone conclusion.
That doesn’t mean Giant, Specialized, Trek, and others will stop selling $10,000 e-bikes. But their catalogs of $2,000-$3,500 e-bikes is likely to grow thicker each year.
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BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.
The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.
The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.
But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.
The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.
There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.
BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.
With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.
Electrek’s Take
I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.
Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.
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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.
Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!
I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!
Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.
To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.
Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!
Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.
The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.
The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!
I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.
That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.
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