Skip to main content

Evoke's Urban S electric bike for city use is being built by iPhone-maker Foxconn

The same company that builds iPhones is now ready to make electric motorcycles for Evoke. You can pre-order an Evoke Urban S today with delivery expected in July, according to Electrek. A minimum $200 pre-order down payment will hold the price at $9,400.

Evoke plans to sell about 2,000 Urban S motorcycles in China and the U.S. combined during 2017. This bike is the first model Evoke plans to release this year, having upgraded components from an earlier version for increased range. A new battery pack with Samsung SDI cells stores 9 kWh of power, for a revised range of 124 miles in the city and 74 miles on the highway. Previously, the ebike was rated at 83 city miles and 50 highway miles ranges.

Recommended Videos

The Urban S’s 19 kW hub motor generates a maximum 86-foot pounds of torque and has an 81 mph top speed.  According to the Evoke website, the 397-pound Urban S will jump from a standing start to 31 mph in 2.5 seconds — so we’re not talking highway on-ramp blasting here, but from stoplight to stoplight in busy cities? Yeah, that works. And the bike’s chainless design means minimum maintenance expense.

First-time riders should find learning to ride the Urban S easier than most motorcycles. There is no clutch and no shifting. Unlike traditional motorcycles where the rear brake is foot-operated and the front brake is controlled by a lever on the right handgrip, the disc brakes for both wheels (two-discs on the front wheel, one on the rear) are located on the handlebar. Just remember, brake the rear wheel first so you don’t find yourself in the air as you tumble forward.

Chances are you will know where you are going in the city, but if you venture into the countryside — or a new part of town — the Urban S has a standard GPS-based navigation system with a 5-inch display.

Evoke is located in China and was founded by European, American, and Canadian expats living in Beijing. The Urban S isn’t the only Evoke electric bike on the way. The company plans to introduce two more bikes later in 2017: A cruiser and a cafe racer.

Hints about the additional models on the company’s website are limited to a Project Kruzer page showing a mostly blacked-out image and the name, Kruzer. Evoke says the Kruzer will have 30 kW of peak power (up from 19), 126- foot pounds of torque (instead of 86), and Tesla-esque “Ludicrous” acceleration. The Kruzer is promised to have a 143-mile overall range and to accelerate from zero to 60 in “sub-5.0 seconds” — the measurement isn’t stated, but in this case, we’re guessing they mean 60 mph, not kilometers. Other goodies slated for the Kruzer include an aluminum frame, a 7-inch touchscreen, and mobile phone connectivity.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Trump administration prepares to end Biden’s EV tax incentive, report says
president biden drives 2022 ford f 150 lightning electric pickup truck prototype visits rouge vehicle center

If you’re looking to buy or lease an electric vehicle (EV) and benefit from the Biden administration’s $7,500 tax incentive, you’d better act soon.

The transition team of the incoming Trump administration is already planning to end the credit, according to a report from Reuters citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Read more
Kia EV4: everything we know so far
Kia EV4 Front

Kia is continuing to expand its electric car lineup. The EV6 and EV9 have both been out for some time now, and the company is in the middle of rolling out the EV3 in Europe, with a North American release expected next year. After that, it's likely the company will turn to the EV5. But what about after that? Well, that could be where the Kia EV4 comes in.

Kia announced a concept version of the EV4 at its EV Day in 2023, showing off a futuristic-looking hatchback that's seemingly a little smaller than the EV6, but keeps many design elements. Since then, Kia has confirmed very few details about it, though we have seen it shown off at other automotive events. Here's everything we know about the Kia EV4 so far.
Kia EV4 design
The Kia EV4, or at least the concept version of it, is smaller than the EV6, and much smaller than the EV9. It's actually closer in size to a sedan than anything else, though with its open trunk, it could be considered a hatchback. Regardless, it certainly blurs the line between the two. So much so, that in recent months we've actually seen a full hatchback version of the EV4 being tested -- and it's possible that Kia is pivoting the design of the EV4 entirely to be a hatch, or will be releasing both hatchback and sedan versions.

Read more
Hertz is selling used Teslas for under $20K, Chevrolet Bolt EVs under $14K
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently nixed hopes of a regular Tesla model ever selling for $25,000.

But he was talking about new models. For car rental company Hertz, the race to sell used Teslas and other EVs at ever-lower prices is not only still on but accelerating.

Read more