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Nov 27, 2023
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Where are e-bikes made and does it matter? Are the effects of the post-Covid supply chain crisis still with us? We have a new Brompton after-sales kit that’s partly made in the UK (where Brompton’s are also made) as well as the big news that Serial 1 e-bikes, the Harley-Davidson spinoff, is in new hands who say they will move production to Florida. Not to mention new company Bloom, who want to make Detroit, Michigan the micromobility manufacturing capital of the country. Is it really the start of reshoring?
In this week’s e-bike news:
- Boost for Brompton – lightweight rear wheel kit for the classic folding bike
- Harley Davidson’s Serial 1 sold with the promise of US manufacture
- Whyte’s 2024 range with lightweight e-mtbs and budget hybrids
- Lime profitable – Bird not
Boost for Brompton Kit Available for Preorder
Although announced a while ago, the Boost for Brompton conversion kit is now available for pre-order. Unlike established Brompton conversion kits from the likes of Cytronex and Swytch which feature front wheel hub motors, the Boost approach is to replace the rear wheel.
The downside of this is that it limits your gear options to a two speed only – many Bromptons feature three hub gears, though there is also a two speed option (and lightweight options with four derailleur gears). The upside of a Boost kit is a better balanced, better handling electric Brompton – Brompton’s own electric model features a relatively heavy front hub motor.
The Boost for Brompton kit looks a very neat conversion with just a single cable run from the bespoke, non-removable, small capacity battery to the rear hub motor. Apparently the battery casing is 3D printed in Silverstone, England by the Digital Manufacturing Centre (DMC) whose more normal business is producing bespoke parts for the world of Formula 1 racing.
Early Bird prices start at £599 / $750 for the first 100 purchasers.
Harley Davidson’s Serial 1 E-bikes Sold – Will they be Produced in the US?
PR Newswire report ‘LEV Manufacturing, Inc. (formerly known as Life Electric Vehicles, Inc.), a prominent E-Bike manufacturer with 16 plus years of experience and Lane VC, a mobility focused investment firm announce the acquisition of Serial 1 Cycle Company, LLC. The strategic collaboration signifies a transformative moment for both companies, amplifying their commitment to revolutionize the E-Bike industry and commitment to build the premier bikes in the USA.’
This isn’t just another case of one electric vehicle company buying another. Firstly Serial 1 was originally a Harley-Davidson project whose genesis lay in a small building behind the main Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which has also been used over the years on various Harley-Davidson projects. Secondly it comes with the promise of reshoring production, which is apparently currently mainly in Taiwan, to the US. The acquisition will also give LEV a range of premium e-bikes as their current models are priced significantly below those of Serial 1.
Talking of reshoring production to the US, this interesting article from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) fills us in on the background to the formation of Bloom – a new manufacturing project looking to service the electric micromobility industry in the US.
Whyte 2024 E-bikes Announced
UK-based Whyte recently unveiled their 2024 lineup with the headline act undoubtedly being a range of sub-20kg e-mtbs branded E-Lyte that use the new Bosch Performance Line SX mid-drive. Of course, light weight, high performance e-bikes don’t come cheap, with the E-Lytre price range being £7999 to £10,999.
The RHeO series is Whyte’s new city and leisure hybrid range use a KMC Kynamic 250W rear hub motor with a 252Wh battery integrated into the down tube. Prices range from £1999 to £2299.
Will Shared Micromobility Be Profitable?
This is one of the questions thrown up by recent news from Micromobility World who tell us:
‘Lime says it is profitable in Europe. In Q3 2023, the scooter-sharing service generated €121.8M in ride revenues, plus €12.2M in other income, resulting in an operating profit of €3M.
On the other hand, in Q3 2023, shared micromobility operator Bird Global generated $54.3M in revenue and posted a net loss of $19.8M. The company continues to battle with high general and administrative expenses, which totaled $31.39M for the quarter.’
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