ebikes

VanMoof’s epic fall from grace and eventual bankruptcy was one of the most talked about electric bike stories of the year. But as it turns out, we’re far from the final chapter. New management has a plan to resurrect the company and do right by its enormous customer base.

Electric bikes have grown in popularity every year, and so too have their news stories. (If you don’t believe me, just ask yourself why your favorite car or motorcycle media sites are all suddenly covering e-bikes too.)

This year was no exception to the expanding e-bike takeover, with millions of you surfing on over to check out the most popular electric bike stories on Electrek. As 2023 winds its way down, let’s take a look back at the most popular e-bike stories of the year.

If there’s one thing I love nearly as much as electric bikes, it’s getting to enjoy some new gear on my rides. With the holidays barreling down on us, there’s still a little bit of time left to bring that joy to an e-bike lover near you! Here are some of the coolest pieces of gear I’ve tested this year that would make great stocking stuffers for anyone who rides an e-bike (or a pedal bike!) in your family or friend group.

Electric Bike Company was once the go-to source for US-built electric beach cruiser bikes. Now that they’ve expanded into folders, adventure-style e-bikes, and e-mopeds (like the Model J here), EBC seems like the go-to source for a much wider range of locally-assembled e-bikes.

But the even bigger differentiator, outside of the Southern California-based assembly, is that you can customize the bike with thousands of color customizations on every part, plus a huge array of accessories.

If you’ve got a fat enough wallet, there are some seriously high-end electric bikes floating around out there from top-shelf e-bike companies. But what if your taste for finer things doesn’t quite match up with your real-world budget? Now Ride1Up is unveiling the answer in its new CF Racer1 carbon fiber electric road bike and gravel bike.

My wife has always been bike-curious. As the partner of a mobility journalist and prolific electric bike reviewer, it would be hard for her to avoid them if she tried. But most of her brief experiences with e-bikes comes from joining me on riding trips or the occasional rented e-bike on vacation. She’s the proverbial barefoot kid to my proverbial cobbler.

After beginning a new job this year though, she decided that she wanted to start riding an e-bike to work. Now over 100 miles (160 km) in, I pestered her with a bunch of questions to figure out what a relative newcomer to bike commuting has learned from the experience, both the good and the bad.

When Ride1Up unveiled the Portola folding electric bike, it was obviously a major play to snatch the title for the leading low-cost electric bike. Now that we’ve had sufficient time in the saddle, it’s high time to see how this budget electric bike stacks up.

The Priority Current quickly became one of my favorite commuter electric bikes soon after its release, thanks in large part to its high-quality design and higher-end components all offered for a reasonable price. Now that I’ve tested the second version of the bike with a 5-speed drivetrain and other new add-ons, I’m even more sold on this comfortable commuter electric bike.

VanPowers sent us its top-of-the-line UrbanGlide-Ultra bike last month, which is touted to be a Dutch-style e-bike and top spec in its Urban Glide lineup. But with Black Friday prices starting under $1,000, how close to a real Dutch “Gazelle”-type bike is this? You might be surprised…

Serial 1, the premium electric bicycle brand originally started by Harley-Davidson, announced today that it has been acquired by a Florida-based manufacturer of light electric vehicles. The shake-up lays the groundwork for Serial 1 e-bikes to be produced in the US, according to a joint statement.

The Priority E-Coast is fascinating as a cruiser bike, especially considering the beach cruiser category normally sees rather barebones and simplistic designs. The NYC-based bike brand Priority Bicycles has never skimped on its bicycles though, and the E-Coast is no different. That means you’re looking at a high-end beach cruiser e-bike for a better-than-reasonable price.

November has always been a good time to snag a big discount on e-bikes in the US, as electric bike makers long ago gave up on shorter Black Friday sales in favor of simply giving out those huge discounts all month long. But this year is seeing especially massive price cuts due to extra pressure on the industry.

In cities around the world, e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles make up the brunt of the food delivery industry. They serve as the critical backbone, connecting hungry customers ordering app-based food with the restaurants that serve up that savory delight. At least, that’s how it works almost everywhere except North America. So I took a trip to the US and spent a day as a food delivery rider to see what the big hangup is.

Your next Domino’s pizza delivery could be a lot cooler… and hotter! The company is rolling out an impressive-looking new delivery e-bike with a built-in pizza oven. The bike is known as the dxb, and it could turn pizza delivery on its head.

We’ve always wondered why, with big 1 kWh batteries with equally big output capabilities, e-bikes can’t double as power stations that could power an off-site or back up a fridge for a few hours. Mokwheel has our answer with its $2300 Obsidian and ups the ante with a big solar panel that makes it great for camping and self-charging, too…

Electric bicycles have seen growing adoption rates among law enforcement agencies, where they have proven to be both nimble enforcement vehicles and an effective way to help cities meet their climate goals. But now we’re seeing that electric bike use taken to a new level.

Giant Group, one of several leading bicycle manufacturers, has just revealed its first throttle-enabled electric bike. The new model is being released under the company’s Momentum sub-brand of more affordable bikes designed for street, utility, and commuter use. From the looks of things, the new Momentum Cito E+ seems like a great first shot at a throttle e-bike, and even comes with interesting options like a glovebox.

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.

Rad Power Bikes, a leading US-based electric bicycle retailer, has just announced that it is closing its New York City retail store.

If you live in New York City and enjoy getting around on two wheels, prepare to get hit with a whiplash of good and bad news from major micromobility providers in the city. Revel, known for its bright blue electric mopeds, is sunsetting those zippy little commuter machines in favor of cars. But on the other hand, the size of the electric Citi Bike fleet is set to grow considerably.

Honda has been on a roll lately, pumping out interesting and innovative electric two-wheelers including scooters and bicycles. Could the Japanese automaker suddenly be taking the segment more seriously?