Swifty Launches UK’s First Street-Legal Electric Scooter

Plus, why carmakers are bad at selling e-bikes.

April 04, 2024

Welcome to Ride Review, your weekly roundup of new tech and vehicle launches in the world of micromobility.

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What You Need to Know Today

Swifty has launched the U.K.’s first street-legal e-scooter. The GO GT500 boasts a 25-mile range (40 km) and can reach a top speed of 24 mph (38.6 kph), powered by a 500-watt motor. “It is currently illegal to ride private e-scooters on UK public roads so how did Swifty do it? The vehicle is formally classified as a Stand-On Moped by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which means it’s tied to the same safety and regulatory standards as a vehicle in the L1e category.” (Regular readers may recall Swifty from our 2023 Startup Awards in San Francisco, where they scooped up first place.)

Image Credit: Swifty Scooters

Here are some helpful lessons for assembling an e-bike at home.

Big Auto has been bad at selling electric bikes since at least the 1990s, when auto visionary Lee Iacocca tried and failed to proselytize e-mobility. “Even automotive great Lee Iacocca couldn’t make e-bikes work for car companies. As it turned out, the deck was stacked against him. No matter how much he wanted his e-bikes to succeed, it didn’t translate into sales at car dealerships. The $1,000 price meant that car salesmen working on commission couldn’t be bothered to sell them, certainly not when they stood to make a lot more money pushing someone into a Taurus or F150.”

… defying the odds, Porsche appears to having success with selling electric bikes at nice margins—at least within a certain segment of high-networth individuals. Actor and Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. was recently spotted in Malibu riding one of the German manufacturer’s super high-end e-bikes, which start at nearly $10,000.

Patent filings reveal Yamaha is working on a new electric motocross, which is expected to feature a “torsion damper” that can provide an immediate boost of acceleration.

LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric division, is issuing a recall for the S2 Del Mar because of incorrectly fastened rear axle fasteners. It is the second safety recall affecting the S2 Del Mar this year.

Peugeot Motorcycles is highlighting a stylish, ultra-modern concept called the SPx. The French company hasn’t released any specs yet, but enthusiasts hypothesize it will be a 125cc-equivalent at most.

Image Credit: Peugeot

Stellantis says it plans to launch an all-new electric motorcycle architecture by 2026.

At $10,000, the new Seagull EV would be the cheapest electric car in the United Kingdom if manufacturer BYD decides to sell it there. What’s more, the pint-sized, low-cost four-wheeler nearly qualifies as a micromobility vehicle by size.

Onewheel pulled off a good April Fools prank earlier this week with an advertising blitz for an all-new electric wheelbarrow. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea…

Image Credit: Onewheel

Here’s a fun and happy one: Lectric partnered with YouTube star Mr. Beast to donate $600,000 worth of e-bikes to people in need who lack access to personal transportation across the United States.

Hiboy unveiled its first folding e-bike. The Hiboy C1 comes with a 36V 7.8Ah removable battery—purported to be the most lightweight in its category—which promises 43.5 miles (70 km) of pedal-assisted range when carrying its maximum capacity (230 lb, or 104 kg).

The new Felo TOOZ from Thailand purports to be the longest range electric motorcycle in the world with the ability to traverse 450 miles (724 km) per charge. With that much battery capacity, the Felo TOOZ will likely also earn the distinction of being one of the largest’s motorcycles on the road.

Image Credit: Felo TOOZ