🇯🇵 Japan’s Best-Selling EV Is Absolutely Tiny

Plus, new rides by Onewheel, Lectric, Lotus, Kia, and more.

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What You Need to Know Today

Lectric’s newest release, the XPeak, is a versatile, fat-tire adventure ebike at an impressively affordable price. The bike reaches a 28 mph (45 kph) top speed and comes equipped with LED lighting, a 7-speed drivetrain, and puncture-resistant, 4 inch thick tires.

1,300-W fat-tire XPeak designed for quiet off-road adventures

Honda is showcasing a new high-capacity energy storage unit for its new electric mountain bike on display. While specifics are currently scarce, this wheeled cart could provide a convenient option for recharging during extended wilderness ebike trips.

Beijing-based company Evoke Motorcycles’ new 2024 6061-GT electric motorcycle is set to debut as North America’s first long-range electric cruiser. The high-performance bike claims a range of up to 410 miles (660 km) on a single charge, 206 Nm of torque, and a top speed of 140 mph (230 kph).

Weeks after a massive recall, Onewheel has bounced back with a new electric unicycle designed for the “pros.” The GT S-Series ($3,200) is the company’s fastest, most powerful board yet. For the new model, the designers shaved off a few pounds, boosted speed up to 25 mph (40 kph), and slightly reduced the range to 25 miles (40km).

It’s an electric skateboard with a single wheel inside.

Desiknio, a Spanish bike maker, and Stromer, a Swiss speed pedelec company, are working together to bring the X20 Pinion commuter and X20 gravel ebike to the U.S.. The two handcrafted, lightweight, premium ebikes weigh a mere 30.1 lbs (14 kg).

The new and improved version of the Kia Ray EV minicar now has a larger range of 127 miles (205 km) on a single charged, more power clocking 64 kW (86 horsepower), and a reduced price tag starting at $20,800. Unfortunately, the city car is still only available in South Korea.

The most popular electric car in Japan is a tiny, $13,000 kei car made by Nissan and Mitsubishi called the Sakura. The tiny four-wheeler is 11 feet long, has a range of 112 miles (180 km), and reaches a top speed of 80 mph (130 kph). It’s too bad tiny cars from Japan are subject to tight restrictions in many other countries, like the U.S.

Nissan Sakura Wins 2022-2023 Japan Car Of The Year Award & Kei Car Of The Year Award - CleanTechnica

Lotus, the British company known for its luxury sports cars, is branching out to the ebike world with a new lightweight two-wheeler, but it is not cheap. The Type 136, which weighs just 21.6 pounds (9.8 kg), is priced at €25,000 ($26,347).

Chinese manufacturer Okai’s new electric scooter, the Panther ES800, is a speedy, off-road two-wheeler with full suspension. The Panther claims a top speed of 38 mph (61 kph) and hits a peak power output of 3,000 W. On top of that, it offers a range of 31 miles (50 km) and churns out 60 Nm of torque.

Suzuki revealed their latest concept for mobility scooter at the Japan Mobility Show. The Suzuki Go! is a nifty little vehicle for the elderly!

California-based ebike maker Murf Electric Bikes just revealed the Higgs Cargo, a retro-looking customizable Class 2 utility vehicle with fat-tires and a longtail. The Higgs is said to reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 kph) and claims a range of up to 50 miles (80 km) on a single charge.

Britain’s Gocycle announced it will be developing an electric cargo bike to add to its lineup in 2024 called the Gocycle Family Cargo. The company has revealed very little about the new model, but says that it is one of several upcoming market expansions.

Vinfast dealers originally sold the battery-electric VF3 minicar in Vietnam, but the possibility of low-cost production and tax credit has them looking at bringing the four-wheeler to the U.S. If they do, these tiny cars could cost less than $20,000 a pop.

2023 VinFast VF3, official images

The Honda Motocompacto—a much anticipated, suitcase-shaped electric moped—officially went on sale yesterday.

InMotion’s new The Adventure is the company’s highest-performance electric unicycle yet. The vehicle, which is available for preorder now, puts out a staggering peak power of 9,000W and reaches a thrilling top speed of 68 mph (110 kph), so it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.

British manufacturer Swifty Scooters—winner of last week’s Startup Awards at Micromobility America!—announced the all new Swifty GO G500. Swifty’s big-wheeled escooter runs on the innovative Lithium FerroPhosphate (LFP) battery that is used in Teslas. On top of that, the scooter has disc brakes, dual suspension, and indicator lights. Look out for our podcast with Swifty’s founders coming soon.