As part of the buildup to our Electric Revolution Live event in May 2022 (a follow-up of our Electric Revolution exhibit at the Petersen Museum), we are ramping up reportage on the EV scene via The Current.  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. 

Hello dear readers and riders! Did you know that e-Bike sales have now outpaced both electric and plug-in hybrid cars combined in the United States? That’s right! While we all know electric bike sales skyrocketed during the pandemic, new numbers recently released this week revealed that the US experienced a 70% increase in e-Bike imports in 2021, with nearly 790,000 electric bike imports last year. This immense figure is in startling contrast to the 652,000 electric and plug-in hybrid cars purchased by Americans in 2021. That’s huge! This week is packed with other exciting stories, including rad releases, fresh funds, and more. So, without further adieu, let’s roll.

 

An e-Scooter Inspired by Design

The Bel&Bel Z-scooter lifts design cues from the classic Piaggio Vespa, but is a self-balancing upright. [Bel&Bel]
If you’ve been with us long enough, you know that over here at The Vintagent we’ve got a taste for unique design. That’s why we’re obsessed with the self-balancing Z-Scooter. Inspired by the iconic design of Corradino D’Ascanio, the Z-Scooter is an innovative mashup of a Vespa and a Segway. What folks are actually purchasing is a conversion kit that transforms Bel & Bel’s NineBot base model into a sleek scooter design. You can buy an entire package or just the add-on. Featuring the rich curves, single headlight, and aluminum body of the classic Italian brand, the Z-Scooter is outfitted with a clever kickstand and can be operated with the simple push of a large red button. From there, you just hop on board and cruise around town in supreme fashion.

 

Ola Shares First Peek of Its Electric Car

Indian company Ola is branching out from super-efficient scooters for a full car design that looks simultaneously futuristic and inexpensive. [Ola]
Ola Electric, the Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer, is acclaimed for its cost-efficient and high-performance e-Scooters. However, earlier this week, the company released the first images of its full-size electric car. After teasing about a possible four-wheeler a few months back, the startup’s CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, took to Twitter to pique our curiosity even further with a rendering of an electric hatchback. The concept features a glass windshield that continues across the roof and top half of the vehicle. The car has four doors but no handles are visible. LED lights accent the front fascia. While Ola’s e-Car is now just a rendering, we’re excited to see it possibly come to life in the near future.

 

BMW’s Fantastically Weird CE 04

The CE 04 is a design that’s been shown in various iterations by BMW over the years (the similar Concept Link was revealed in 2016), but it appears they’re finally going to build it. [BMW]
German luxury vehicle manufacturer, BMW, recently released its new boldly-designed e-Scooter, the CE 04. Aimed to go toe-to-toe with 400cc bikes, the CE 04 is equipped with a chassis-mounted motor derived from ones used in BMW’s passenger cars.  The e-Bike’s handlebar controls, switch gear, and TFT display are all quite similar to other BMW motorcycles, giving seasoned BMW riders a familiar feel behind the bars. At 65.9 inches, the CE 04 is definitely a long bike and is bound to take corners, speed bumps, and potholes like a champ.

 

Luxury Brands Race to Get in on the e-Bike Craze

The most spectacular launch of the recent fashion/ebike collabs has been the Burberry/DAB Motors mashup. Nice backdrop! [Burberry]
With e-Bike sales outpacing that of electric cars, it’s no wonder luxury brands are chomping at the bit to enjoy their piece of the pie. Electric bikes are swiftly becoming the next coveted fashion item, with upscale fashion companies partnering with e-bike companies. Examples in the past few months include Saint Laurent x Super73Jacquemus x VanMoof, Burberry x DAB Motors,  and Feng Chen Wang x Piaggio. all hoping to create extra cache in both directions.  Which is cooler, the big fashion brand or the e-bike? Well, these relatively tiny companies aren’t paying for a luxury brand affiliation – the cash definitely flowed in the other direction, so there’s your answer.

 

Fresh Funds

 

There Gogoros my Hero…the tie up between the largest Indian motorcycle manufacturer and the Taiwanese battery-swap company means there will soon be battery stations across India… [Tech2]
  • Taiwanese e-Scooter company Gogoro has partnered with the Indian supergiant moto manufacturer Hero MotoCorp, and another investor, to bring its total funding efforts to $285 million.  We covered the story of Hero MotoCorp back in 2017 on The Vintagent; it’s an eye-opening read, as Hero dwarfs every European and American motorcycle manufacturer, combined.

 

 

 

Stephanie Weaver is the EV Editor of The Current vertical on TheVintagent.com, and a Philadelphia-based freelance writer. When she’s not locked to her laptop, she can be found riding horses and motorcycles.  Her Instagram is here.