#electric-bicycles

#electric-bicycles

Porsche is shutting down its electric bicycle subsidiary Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, closing factories in Ottobrunn, Germany and Zagreb, Croatia, putting around 350 employees out of work. The German automaker launched its e-bike offshoot in August 2022 with plans to develop components like motors and batteries. Porsche said in a press release that the e-bike division was created to make “high-performance e-bike drive systems and market them worldwide,” but added that market conditions have changed.

Rad Power Bikes, the once dominant electric bicycle brand in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week as it seeks to sell of its company. The move comes less than a month after Rad Power said it could not afford to recall its older e-bike batteries that had been designated a fire risk by the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission. The bankruptcy, which was first reported by Bicycle Retailer, was filed in US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington, near the company's headquarters in Seattle. Rad Power lists its estimated assets at $32.1 million and estimated liabilities at $72.8 million. Its inventory of e-bikes, spare parts, and accessories is listged at $14.2 million, Bicycle Retailer says.

If you live in any major city or suburb in the U.S., you may have noticed more and more parents hauling their kids around on bulky cargo bicycles. Some families are ditching their second car, forgoing a minivan, or going car-free altogether. Cargo bikes have been around for more than a century and they're popular elsewhere on the globe. But until a few years ago, they were all but forgotten in North America. Now they're making a comeback.

Many commuter ebikes have lightweight, compact frames, too. So, they're easy to carry and store - ideal for mixed-mode commuting. One such model that is well-suited for suburban commuting is the Heybike Mars 3.0. Equipped with a powerful hub motor, intuitive torque sensor, and lightweight folding frame, the Mars 3.0 makes quick work of any commute, enabling you to get from A to B without breaking a sweat.