The Current News: Sep 17, 2021

As part of the buildup to our Electric Revolution Live event in May 2022, as a follow-up of our Electric Revolution exhibit at the Petersen Museum, we are ramping up reportage on the EV scene.  It’s an ever-evolving, even frantic, landscape of electric vehicles, and it can be tough to keep abreast of all the latest bikes, batteries, and news constantly flooding the market. That’s why we’ve re-launched our weekly EV News Roundup to bring you cherry-picked stories that matter to you.

This week in EV news sees a baby-toting EV cargo bike, a fold-up e-Bike, a reimagined electric motorbike platform, a new drop from one of the OG e-Bike manufacturers, and updates on President Biden’s EV tax credits.

Zaiser Motors Drops a Platform Redesign and Sporty e-Bike

Zaiser Motors, a Denver-based technology startup and creator of the world’s first Electrocycle, the Silhouette, announced earlier this week that it would be dropping the Arrow, a sportier model, that will be built on the company’s newly designed Electrocycle platform. After reaching its initial funding goals in just six weeks, Zaiser is using the capital to enhance the development of the Electrocycle platform. The Electrocycle Silhouette is a twin-hub electric motorcycle with a staggering 300-mile range, top speeds of 120 mph, and a starting price tag of $25,000. Its baby brother, the Arrow, will have a range of 160 miles and can be cranked up to 100 mph.

With the launch of the Arrow, Zaiser is hoping to target urban riders and daily commuters who are looking for a lighter, more affordable EV option. The Arrow costs $8,500 and weighs 380 pounds.

Monday Motorbikes Introduces the Piezo

San Francisco EV startup Monday Motorbikes recently announced its newest generation of electric motorbikes. Dubbed the Piezo (after piezoelectricity, an electrical charge built up in response to mechanical stress), the lineup will be the company’s eighth generation of EVs.  The Vintagent has been following the Monday story since 2013, after encountering founding engineer Nathan Jauvits on a San Francisco street with his home-built EV Puch moped, which he intended to make into a production machine.  We look forward to new models!

Carqon Classic Caters to the Kiddos

Dutch company Carqon wants to help parents ditch the stroller once and for all. Its electric cargo bike, the Carqon Classic, features a large nest that cradles your kid in comfort. The integrated children’s door, featuring double childproof safety locks, allows youngsters to effortlessly climb aboard all on their own. You can tote around up to two tots and an infant. The bike’s low center of gravity, hardy off-road tires, and front-fork suspension ensure a safe, smooth ride for all.

That’s especially easy on bicycle friendly Dutch roads, although we see plenty of cargo bicycles carrying kids to school in urban areas of the USA.  Perhaps the safety angle will be push growth for Carqon?

Meet the World’s First Folding e-Bike

Anyone who’s carried luggage on a train or subway understands the importance of compact carry-ons. But what if you have to travel with your e-Bike? The Fiido X folding bike is the EV world’s answer to this question. Created by the direct-to-consumer Chinese company, Fiido, the fold-up e-Bike can be easily stowed away in your car, under your work desk, or even in the overhead compartment. The Fiido X is available in three models, ranging in price from $1,098 to $1,298. All models max out at 20+ mph and feature a built-in battery and light magnesium frame that weighs no more than 40 pounds. Though the Fiido X is a pedal-assist only e-Bike for now, the company plans on selling a mod kit later down the road for riders that want to add a throttle.

e-Bike Tax Credit Slowly Makes Its Way Through Congress

Remember how we told you about President Biden’s proposed EV tax credit back in April? Well, it has slowly been creeping up through the Congressional hierarchy, offering a $4500 subsidy to buy an EV.  That amount may almost triple to $12,500, if the current bill becomes law.  But there’s a catch: the EV must be made in the USA with union labor in the bill as written, which has both Tesla and Toyota pushing against the bill, as neither company qualifies [If only Congress had been so concerned about either qualification in the 1980s/90s, when industry left the USA in droves and American industry hollowed out  – Ed.]  A phase-out schedule based on income brackets of $75,000 and over has also been proposed. The text also uses the troublesome “under 750 watts” phrase when defining e-Bikes that qualify for the incentive. Ideally the wording will be updated to say “not more than 750 watts” to be inclusive of all e-Bikes that are currently legal throughout most of the country.  For a decent exploration of the issue, check out this CNET article.

[Editor’s note: I’ve been asked the same question by every E-Moto manufacturer I’ve met: ‘what will move the needle on ebikes in the USA?’  I’ve always answered the same, ‘Legislation.’  Which they’ve always found discouraging, but it’s exactly what propelled China to the top of global ebike usage, with millions on their streets today.  EVs have their issues, from rare mineral extraction and its political/social/environmental cost, to clean electricity production, but walking on the streets of Shanghai today is to experience quiet and relatively pollution-free streets.]