The Current News: Oct. 1, 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.

Happy national Drive Electric Week! Held every October, the week-long event is a nationwide observance to raise awareness of the numerous benefits of electric vehicles. Here at The Vintagent, we’re proud to be doing our part in promoting EV education by sharing valuable stories with you every week. This week sees the drop of Harley-Davidson’s most affordable e-Bike, the Serial 1 MOSH/CTY, how the UK’s fuel shortage is driving the demand for EVs, a new e-Scooter that has a staggering range of 480+ km on one charge, some fun new releases, and a ton of successful fundraising efforts.

The Cheapest Bike Harley-Davidson Will Ever Make?

Harley-Davidson’s e-bike arm, Serial 1, just announced that its first limited-edition S1 Series e-Bike, the MOSH/TRIBUTE, is now available for pre-order. The vintage prototype is a hat tip to Harley’s past, but it features all the essential tech for today’s savvy riders. The most affordable option in the new lineup is the MOSH/CTY. Priced at $3,799, the 20-mph, pedal-assist e-Bike boasts a removable 529Wh battery, a light, mid-mounted Brose S MAG motor that produces 90Nm/66 ft.-lb. of torque, and a Gates carbon-fiber belt. The only caveat is that the bike has no built-in suspension. But if you’ve successfully ridden a hardtail, you’ll probably fare well on this lil’ guy.

Demand for EVs Spike Amidst the UK’s Fuel Shortage Crisis

Remember when everyone was panic-buying toilet paper during the early days of the pandemic? Well, now the same thing is happening in the UK. EV website searches spiked by more than 60% earlier this week due to widespread panic at the pump, due to widespread shortages. Electric vehicle retailers also saw more enquiries from potential customers, with a message sent every two minutes.  While the gas companies blame ‘panic buying’, workers around the world have re-examined their low-paying jobs, including ‘essential’ transport workers.  Stories in the NYTimes, Guardian, etc, have discussed the devolution of driving as a career, from a secure, well-paid job to a low-wage grind with long hours and few benefits, which only got worse after Brexit and the Covid pandemic.  In common with workers around the world (in restaurants and retail especially), transport drivers in the UK are re-examining their careers, while the government sent a call for 10,000 retired lorry drivers to return to ‘essential’ work.  Most retired drivers, though, are ignoring the call. 

Longest Ranging e-Scooter Drops

Mumbai-based Raft Motors announced this week that its e-Scooter, the INDUS NX, can travel more than 480 km (almost 300 miles) on a single charge, obliterating complaints about ‘range’ with eBikes. The scooter is equipped with dual-battery options with 10 amps fast charging, disc brakes, and a keyless start.  It’s another example of how far ahead the Indian motorcycle industry has leaped compared to the rest of the world.  With sales in India alone of over 1Million motorcycles and scooters per MONTH, the Indian industry dwarfs all European and American industries combined.

Riders Across 139 Countries Log 50-Million Miles on Electric Monos

This isn’t recent news, but we’re going to include this because we’re really, really impressed. Future Motion, the maker of the electric skateboard, Onewheel, announced back in June that its global community of riders have collectively racked up more than 52 million miles on the device since the company dropped its first model seven years ago. The data comes from the company’s companion app where riders can track their usage. Just last year, Onewheel riders logged more than 27 million miles.

Fresh Funding

Many EV startups rely on fundraising to fuel their dreams. Some, like CAKE, are successful. In fact, the Swedish EV manufacturer announced this week that it had dramatically surpassed its fundraising expectations, closing at $60 million. “We knew we were entering a space with increasingly strong tailwinds when we got started back in 2016, but we couldn’t dream of the pace in which things are now happening, for the good of people, planet and business,” CAKE founder and CEO, Stefan Ytterborn, stated in a press release.

Other recent noteworthy investments include:

• New Zealand-based e-Bike company, Ubco, secured a $10 million investment from TPK Holdings.

• Battery Resources, a startup that’s launching a closed-loop approach to lithium-ion battery materials, raised $70 million in funding.

Rad New eBike Releases

Some additional EV releases that caught our attention this week include:

• Cowboy’s nimble new Cowboy 4 e-Bike, featuring an integrated “cockpit” that allows riders to securely mount their smartphones to access GPS or fitness data in real-time. The bike has a range of about 43 miles on one charge and can travel up to 20 mph.

• Rad Power Bikes announced the release of its RadCity 5 Plus, a commuter e-Bike that can climb hills 40% faster than earlier predecessors.

• NYC’s Pave Motors announced its Pave Bike, a minibike with a tiny in-wheel motor, is available for pre-order.