Electric scooters are everywhere in much of Europe and Asia, but they’ve always remained something of an oddity in the US market. While American riders have recently embraced electric bicycles and, to a measurably smaller extent, electric motorcycles, traditional seated scooters have struggled to gain traction in North America. Now San Francisco-based HMP Bikes is hoping to change that with its new HMP Flash, a high-performance electric scooter designed from the ground up for riders who rack up serious mileage. 

I’m not usually the kind of person who gets excited about wearing a watch. But I am apparently the kind of person who paces around my living room at a quarter to midnight because a tiny computer on my wrist informed me I was 200 steps short of today’s goal.

So here we are, with the story of how I got a Garmin watch to better analyze my bike riding (and my running), and ended up learning to love that cute little bully that now lives on my wrist.

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bike launches from Tern, Trek, Momentum, and Ariel Rider, reviews of the Infinite Machine Olto and Segway Xaber, and more.

Every now and then, a company launches something that doesn’t fit neatly into any existing category. Not because it’s obscenely powerful or flaunts conventional safety, but just because it doesn’t fit the mold that we’ve grown accustomed to. That’s exactly what the Infinite Machine Olto is.

Call it an e-bike, call it an electric moped, call it a scooter with pedals – everyone is going to have a different opinion. But after spending several weeks riding the Olto around town, I can confidently say one thing: it’s unlike anything else currently on the market.

Tern has unveiled an all-new version of its popular HSD compact cargo e-bike, bringing a long list of upgrades to one of the industry’s most respected family haulers. The new model keeps the same compact footprint that made the HSD so appealing in dense urban environments, but adds more carrying capacity, improved handling, Bosch’s latest drive systems, and new automatic shifting options.

Momentum, the urban-focused bicycle brand backed by cycling industry heavyweight Giant Group, has unveiled its latest commuter e-bike, the Vida E+ EX. Building on the original Vida E+ launched last year, the new model brings several notable upgrades aimed at making everyday transportation more comfortable, more capable, and a bit more tech-forward.

Germany is preparing to tighten the rules governing shared electric scooters, proposing new legislation that would make rental operators like Lime and Bolt directly liable for damages caused by their vehicles.

Swiss electric scooter maker VMAX has launched the new VX2 Lite, a commuter-focused electric scooter that packs premium features like full suspension, a 56-mile (90 km) maximum range, and up to 1,400W of peak motor power into a relatively lightweight package.

As communities across the US continue grappling with the rapid rise of electric bikes and scooters, one Oregon sheriff’s office is introducing a new tool designed to help identify trouble spots before someone gets hurt.

Yamaha has officially entered India’s increasingly competitive premium electric scooter market with the launch of the new Aerox-E, an electric version of its popular sporty maxi-scooter. Rather than chasing outright affordability, Yamaha is targeting riders looking for performance-focused urban transportation with premium features.

That has resulted in a more premium scooter, but also one of the highest scooter price tags in the country.

Trek is making a bigger push into the fast-growing fat tire e-bike segment with the launch of the new Borrego+, a Class 2 electric bike that blends adventure-ready capability with commuter-friendly practicality. The company is also offering a faster Borrego+ S variant for riders in markets where Class 3 e-bikes are permitted.

Ariel Rider has officially opened pre-orders for its new MUDD 72V, a high-performance two-wheeler that blurs the line between electric bikes (in the loosely defined sense) and lightweight electric motorcycles. In fact, the company itself is careful to market it as a “high-performance PPB (private property bike)” intended for off-road and closed-course use.

Amflow made waves in late 2024 when it launched its first electric mountain bikes powered by DJI’s impressive Avinox drive system. Now the company is expanding beyond the traditional eMTB category with the launch of the new Amflow TL Carbon, joining a category of electric SUV bikes designed to bridge the gap between mountain biking, commuting, cargo hauling, and long-distance touring.

A new e-bike company has entered the increasingly crowded commuter e-bike market, but it’s doing so with a strategy that feels notably different from the usual playbook. The new Monarc Tracer combines a powerful Class 3 commuter platform with premium components, a surprising amount of integrated technology, and one feature that almost no other e-bike company includes as standard: a second battery.

Plus, it comes with the backing of the largest e-bike company in North America.

Gazelle has become one of the first major bicycle brands to launch a new e-bike built around Bosch’s recently announced Hub Line motor, unveiling the sleek new Gazelle Curb urban commuter.

Royal Enfield’s long-awaited entry into the electric motorcycle market has officially begun. The company’s dedicated EV sub-brand, Flying Flea, has started customer deliveries of its first electric motorcycle, the FF.C6, with initial handovers taking place in Bengaluru, India.

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bike models from several premium brands, Bosch gets into hub motors, Vinfast excels on two wheels, Ukraine doubles down on e-motorcycles, and more.

Bosch has just launched its first-ever hub motor for urban e-bikes, bringing Smart System tech to a new market segment.

AAA may be best known for roadside assistance and travel services, but the organization is now taking a much closer interest in electric bicycles and electric scooters as their popularity continues to surge across the US.

There’s a new law in Washington state regarding the classification of electric bicycles. But if you want to know what the new law says, you should probably avoid reading the news in Washington.