🏎 McLaren’s 1st EV Is a Scooter

Welcome to Ride Review - a weekly missive about the people, places, and products that are accelerating the adoption of tiny transportation all over the world.

Each week we share a fresh dose of consumer-driven dispatches, highlighting the best news, opinions, and reviews about electric scooters, bikes, boards, buggies, and more. If it has to do with riding or buying small vehicles, you can find it here.

Today’s newsletter is brought to you by… Roetz. 

In the Netherlands, each year one million bicycles become waste. Roetz believes that no bike should be designed to end up in a landfill after use. Join the circular mission, and start the ride of your Roetz Life. The ebike that is designed to ride forever. Built from high quality modules, (re-)configurable to your needs. Continuously monitored, with next day service. All to guarantee a worry-free ride, for life. Check it out.

What You Need to Know This Week

An avid trad cyclist hops into the saddle of an ebike for the first time and quickly realizes pedelecs aren’t just faster, but safer: “Traditional bicycles do not zoom from a full stop to 20mph in a few seconds, no matter how great a cyclist you might be. It feels wholly different but also useful and, I’ll admit, safer. Knowing I can pull on the throttle and plow my way through something creates an extra layer of control over my situation.”

Dutch “bike banks” are a game-changer for kids. Once again, the Netherlands is lightyears ahead of most societies at promoting heathy urban living.

McLaren’s first EV is here… and it’s a scooter. The sleek 36-lb Series 1 is equipped with patented one-touch folding mechanism and a battery that is good for up to 31 miles of travel. No word on top speed yet.

A 14 mph EV you strap to your shoes? Meet Escend’s electric inline skates, the micro-est of micromobility vehicles.

Nearly half a century after its first bike rolled off the line, Brompton has built its one millionth folder in London.

Rad Power, America’s top ebike seller, turned heads this week with a new vehicle that has more than two wheels: the RadTrike ($2,499). While it’s tempting to think of this grownup tricycle as a regular bike with an extra wheel in back for stability and comfort, that’s not really the whole story. With a leisurely top speed of 14 mph, generous 415 lb carrying capacity, and (prototype) canopy-and-windshield combo, the RadTrike feels more like a low-speed miniature truck than your dad’s Schwinn. A raft of new features for the Rad lineup, including a front-hub motor, reverse function, parking brake, and front disc brake, add to the sense of car-like performance.

Speaking of trikes, Kymco is getting ready to launch a tilting three-wheel motorbike in the U.K. next year.

With two motors generating a combined 2,600W of output, the powerful new Splach Titan scooter can sprint from 0 to 30 mph in just 3.9 seconds.

If you’re a fan of full-suspension scooters, you’ll like the new 31-mph Evolv Terra from Urban Machina.

This new “e-trailer” from Biomega can turn any bike into a cargo ebike.

Trek’s new FX+ 2 hits all the sweet spots for beginners: reasonably priced, comfortable, and convenient.

This guy in India made a six-seat electric bike for about $150 so he could drive all his buddies around his rural community. If want something cheap (and don’t mind having fewer seats than a limousine), we recommend consulting our guide to ebikes under $1,000 before you attempt to build your own.

Rated for 750W and up to 62 miles of range, the Buxus EVA Tank 300 would be a great companion on your next over-landing excursion. The only problem is that, out in the backcountry wilderness, no one will see how cool you look tearing up mud and snow.

Ever wonder what the robots from Transformers would look like as scooters and gokarts instead of trucks and muscle cars? Segway and Hasbro have you covered.

The Tynee Mini 2 electric shortboard is cheap ($499), fun (two 850W motors), and fast (30 mph). What else do you need, sk8-ers?

The Mate SUV is not an SUV, but it does aim to be a driving replacement. The bakfiet-style cargo bike, which is now available for preorder, can lug 460 lb of stuff and has a 250W motor that provides electric assist for up to 62 miles of range.

British bike brand Volt just launched its high-spec, long-range Infinity, which it calls its most advanced ebike yet.

Sondors has begun delivering its long-awaited Metacycle motorcycle to U.S. customers. Happy holidays, indeed.

A powerful example of the SoCal rider mindset (rideset).

FAQs

🙋 How far can you expect to travel with an average-sized scooter battery? How much weight can a cargo bike carry? And what’s up the three different classes of ebikes again?

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. For all things micromobility, check out Ride Review’s complete set of guides, FAQs, and primers here.

Reviews

Interested in getting a new bike? (Or is it a moped?) We've done research for you to provide you with everything you need to know about the RCR Onyx bike.

If you're looking for a fast, efficient, and fun way to get around town, you'll want to check out the NIU KQi2 Electric Scooter. It’s lightweight and easy to store, making it perfect for commuters who need a quick and convenient way to get from point A to point B.

Is this thing the micromobility equivalent of a hypercar? The Daymak Spiritus is an all-electric, ultra-lightweight sports vehicle with a range of up to 300 miles and a top speed of 105 mph.

Streaming Live

🌍 Micromobility World’s virtual summit is coming on January 19th. Join incredible speakers, such as Kara Swisher (host of On with Kara Swisher & Pivot), Gabe Klein (exec director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation), and Bhavish Aggarwal (CEO & founder of Ola), for a day of top-notch programming We’ll also be announcing the winners of the Rider’s Choice Awards live.

Tickets are free for a short time, so register now.

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