It’s been another busy week for e-bike tech, partially thanks to the biggest trade fair of the year taking place this week, and partially because it’s apparently summer, and that’s when most of us think riding bikes looks the most appetising. But I digress.
This week we’ve got news on two-wheeler brand Cake, computer brand Acer is having another crack at e-bikes, and the brand not associated with Cruella de Vil is launching a longtail e-cargo. Let’s dive in.
Acer’s AI e-bike range expands
After the launch of the ebii AI-driven e-bike last year, computer manufacturer Acer is back with more e-bikes – and they don’t all look like something a stormtrooper might ride. The ebii has had an update, now called the ebii elite, where the motor has switched from the front to the rear wheel, and the drivetrain is now chain and derailleur gears rather than belt driven.
There are five other e-bikes, including e-cargo and fat bike options, as well as new e-scooters. If anything, it looks like Acer is taking e-mobility seriously, and we’re seeing more and more tech companies trying their hand at the e-bike market, which can only be a good thing.
> Find out more on the new e-bikes from Acer here.
R&M launch bikes using Pinion’s E1.12 MGU drive system
Riese & Müller has launched its 2025 bikes – and two of them will use Pinion’s MGU (motor gearbox unit). The two bikes, Homage5 and Delite5 are in the premium full-suspension urban category. The brand says it’s offering bikes with the MGU because it’s compact, fully-sealed and requires little maintenance beyond an oil change every 10,000km.
The unit offers 85Nm of torque and houses both the motor and 12-speed gearbox in one unit. It offers a 600% gear range. The battery is situated in the down tube, but is removable for charging. Soon, there will also be the option for fully automatic shifting. There’s no pricing news just yet but we can expect them to cost upwards of £5k based on previous models.
> Find out more on the new Homage5 and Delite5 here.
Velo de Ville launches first e-cargo bike, the Loady
Oh Loady, it’s another new bike. This time, from Velo de Ville, the not Cruella inspired e-bike brand. It’s called the Loady, and is a longtail e-cargo, which the brand says “combines stylish design, high riding comfort and exceptional versatility.” Up to two child seats can be attached to the rear rack, or there is the option of using the area for additional storage.
The modularity of the bike looks really interesting, and as per all their bikes, it’s customisable using their online bike builder. They’ve been expanding into the UK more over the last year, with several retailers now stocking the brand throughout the country. It’s expected to be available from October, but there’s no news on price just yet.
Cake bike brand looks set to come back from bankruptcy
Five months after filing for bankruptcy, Swedish company Cake looks like it might be set to make a return. According to Visor Down, the intellectual property of the brand has been acquired by Brages Holding AS from Norway, and they have announced some “initial plans for Cake’s future.”
From what we can tell, they’re recruiting new ‘core’ team members, and they want to evolve the brand by building a “robust retailer distribution network”. The Cake brand has been known for quirky two-wheelers, and last year launched their first e-bike, a longtail e-cargo bike called the Cake Åik.
> Quirky electric two-wheeler brand Cake files for bankruptcy
Pearson launches e-gravel bike
British brand Pearson has launched its own electric gravel bike, called the On And Off. It’s an all-road design, with a carbon fibre frame and a Mahle X20 rear-hub motor. The brand claims a 12.8kg weight on the top-of-the-range model, with light weight being one of the focuses of the bike.
The brand claims you can get up to 160km on one charge, and customers can buy a range extender if they need more. Person has worked to create in-house power modes, with Eco and Sport among them. There are three models with different levels of Shimano GRX groupsets offered. Prices range from £4,500 to £7,300.
> Best electric gravel bikes 2024
AGAO’s Solar powered e-bike
Solar powered e-bikes aren’t particularly new, with Dutch firm SunRider launching a self-charging e-cargo bike back in 2021 among others, but AGAO’s offering looks like it’s among the first customer bikes with this tech. The brand launched the solar-powered e-bike at Eurobike this week, and it follows the launch of their solar-powered e-scooters last year.
The solar-powered e-bike uses impact-resistant photovoltaic panels on its bike, which work even in low-light conditions. Which bodes well for UK users. That being said, we’re not sure if it will be available in the UK, but it’s worth knowing about nonetheless.
