The electric bike brands shaking up the industry

When it comes to electrification, the motorbike industry has lagged behind the automotive world – but thanks to established players and innovative start-ups, it looks like the tide might be turning. 

Legacy brands like BMW, Honda and Kawasaki have been some of the first companies to launch an electric motorbike. But much like the car industry, electrification has allowed new firms to emerge with interesting and technologically advanced machines. 

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of new e-motorbike firms from around the world that are set to shake-up the motorcycle industry. 
 

Cake

Until recently, the most famous cake to come out of Sweden was the kladdkaka, a dense and rich chocolate dessert. But there's now a new Cake to watch out for, and it makes electric motorbikes.

Founded in 2016 by Stefan Ytterborn, Cake offers an expanding range of electric mopeds and dirt bikes that mix distinctive styling with genuine practicality for both businesses and leisure riders. It launched its first machine, the lightweight Kalk, in 2018, followed quickly by the utility Osa and commuter Makka.

Cake

Cake has also launched a series of special edition bikes designed to help rangers in Africa combat poaching, and started its own racing series. And it's teamed up with car firm Polestar on a series of special edition Makka models. 

It has also launched a new Air utility e-bike, three kids bikes and an electric quad bike for farmers. Most boldly of all, last year Cake launched an ambitious project to produce the world's first 'truly fossil-free' e-motorbike by 2030.

Damon

The Canadian-based firm was founded in 2017 with a focus on developing a range of high-performance electric motorbikes.

In 2020 the company revealed the Damon Hypersport, a sleek sport-based machine, which in Premier trim, has an output of 201bhp (150kW) and a top speed of 200mph. That was followed up last year by the Damon Hyperfighter, a naked version of the bike using the same technology.

Damon

Damon is building a factory in British Colombia, Canada and claims an order bank totalling $100 million (£83 million), although it's yet to deliver any machines to customers.
 

The firm was started in 2016 when co-founder Jay Giraud crashed a motorcycle in Indonesia. He vowed to prevent such accidents by starting a new firm with a focus on machines with improved safety features.

DaVinci

Founded in 2013 as a technology firm to develop robotic vehicles, DaVinci has pivoted to focus on e-motorbikes, and is set to launch its first model this year. 

The Chinese firm revealed its DC100 e-motorbike in 2021, displaying it at last year’s EICMA show in Milan. Featuring bold styling, the machine will be able to reach 124mph thanks to a 134bhp (100kW) powertrain, with a claimed range of up to 222 miles.

Energica

The Italian brand was founded in 2014 to specialise in high-performance e-motorbikes, and until this year supplied the spec Ego Corsa that was used in the MotoE bike racing category that supported MotoGP.

Energica

Energica currently offers a range of sports and naked e-motorbikes, including the Eva Ribelle and 150mph Ego. It's also launched the Energica Experia, a touring bike that features a 22.5kWh battery – claimed to be the largest yet fitted to a production bike.
 

Lightning Motorcycle

The American firm was founded in 2006, initially developing systems to convert regular motorbikes to electric power. After setting a series of speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats, the firm started work on its own line of high-performance e-motorbikes.

The firm’s flagship model is the 200hp LS-218 superbike, which offers a top speed of 218mph. It is also working on a new model called the Strike, which will be more of a daily rider: it will have just the 120hp and a 150mph top speed.

Livewire

The electric motorbike brand is more of a spin-off than start-up: it launched in 2021 as a sub-brand of Harley Davidson. But given its prominence, we thought it deserved a place in our list. 

American motorbike firm Harley-Davidson launched the Livewire electric motorbike in 2019 as a 75kW sports machine, before creating a standalone company - called Livewire - to spearhead its future line-up of electrified models. 

At present Livewire sells the One and revealed its second, more affordable e-motorbike, the S2 Del Mar, in 2022. Set to arrive later this year, the S2 Del Mar has a 113-mile range, with the firm targeting a 59kW power output. 

Livewire is confident its new machines will be a success, with the firm predicting 101,000 electric motorbike sales by 2026. In 2021 the firm sold just 387 machines, so there is still a long way to go for a brand that is showing early signs of potential. 

Maeving

The bike pictured here might look vaguely familiar if you've watched the British version of The Apprentice. But it's definitely not a new firm called Zip Zap: the real company behind the super-stylish retro bike is called Maeving.

The British firm was founded in 2017 to establish e-motorbikes, although many of the core team previously worked for established firms including Triumph.

Maeving

Maeving's approach is to mix classic styling with new tech, and that's reflected in its first machine, the RM1. Inspired by 1920s board tracker bikes it makes use of swappable battery technology and has a range of up to 80 miles.  

Niu Technologies

Founded in 2014, Niu is one of the latest light electric vehicle manufacturers in China - which means it’s one of the largest light electric vehicle manufacturers in the world. As well as electric motorbikes, it also offers a line of e-bikes and e-scooters.

Niu Technologies

Niu has grown rapidly thanks to an early focus on lithium-ion batteries and is now listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Its range of e-mopeds are designed to rival traditional 125cc combustion engined motorbikes, and include the Niu MQi GT Eva which has a top speed of 60mph and a range of more than 60 miles.
 

Silence

Despite its name, Silence is making plenty of noise in the electric moped market. The Spanish firm has developed the S01 Connected, an electric scooter designed for quick hops around town. It had a removable battery and plenty of connected technology.

Silence

It's also developed an S02 delivery bike, and is even working on a quadricycle called the S04. And the firm has clearly impressed some big companies – it currently builds the Seat Mo scooter (which is basically a rebadged S01) for the Spanish car firm.

Wait, Seat builds e-motorbikes? Best flick to the next slide...

Seat

Okay, Seat definitely is a car brand and not really an e-motorbike firm, but it's yet to launch an electric car – those efforts are focused on sister brand Cupra. But the Spanish firm is looking closely at personal mobility options for the future, and as part of that it has teamed up with Silence to launch the Mo e-scooter.

Seat

Yes, it's basically a rebranded version of the Silence S01, but that still makes it a really good urban e-motorbike, and the fact it comes with a better warranty is reason to consider picking the Mo over the Silence original.

In the future, Seat is looking at more urban e-mobility vehicles, potentially including a four-seat quadricycle.

Stilride

It's not just Stilride's bikes that are innovative – the Swedish firm is also making waves with how they're produced. 

The firm has developed a technique it calls ‘industrial origami’, which basically involves taking thin sheets of stainless steel and folding them into curved lightweight structures. That process has been extensively used on the SUS1 lightweight electric motorbike.

While that's still in development, Stilride claims it has already received more than 135,000 orders on a waiting list.

Sur-Ron

Chinese firm Sur-Ron is focused on developing a range of performance e-motorbikes, with a focus on off-road machines. It is currently on the fourth generation of its in-house electric powertrain, and its range of bikes are offered in both road-legal and more powerful off-road guise.

Sur-Ron

The line-up ranges from the entry-level Light Bee, to the range-topping Ulta Bee, which has a range of 87 miles and a 0-30mph time of 2.3 seconds.

Vmoto Soco

Founded in Australia and with a manufacturing base in Nanjing, China, Vmoto Soco now encompasses two brands: premium marque Vmoto and the more mass market Super Soco.

Vmoto is working on a range of bold electric machines including the Stash, a 74mph machine designed to blend the agility of a moped with the rider engagement of a traditional motorbike. It’s also unveiled a wild Pininfarina-styled concept that bears a passing resemblance to an iron, but actually showcases a potential future for electric two-wheelers.

Vmoto Soco

But it’s the Super Soco brand you’re more likely to have heard of at present. It offers a range of well-regarded urban machines that combine practicality and affordability with a decent chunk of style.

That includes the Super Soco TC Max, a strong all-rounded that was named More Electric’s best electric motorbike in 2023.

Verge

Finnish start-up Verge is currently gearing up to launch its first model, the TS, which features a distinctive ‘hub less’ rear-wheel design that features the motor integrated into the wheel rim. That means the wheel doesn’t need a hub, so it’s entirely hollow.

But the Verge TS shouldn’t just stand out for its design: the firm claims that, in range-topping Ultra spec, the electric superbike will offer 200hp, a 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 125mph.

Zapp

Launched in 2017, Zapp is close to launching the i300 electric moped. The machine is a step-through city bike, but has a design influenced by motorsport – with Zapp promising rapid acceleration and strong handling.

Zapp

The firm has developed some innovative technology, with the unusual looking machine designed around two lightweight chassis ‘blades’, while there’s a ‘super twister’ permanent agent motor that Zapp claims is more efficient.

Zero

Considering Zero now produces a whole range of e-motorbikes for almost all segments, it's one of the more established and ambitious start-ups in our list.

Zero, formerly known as Electricross, was founded in 2006 by former NASA engineer, Neal Saiki, who set about revolutionising the e-motorbike industry with the launch of the Zero DS and S (for Street) in 2010. 

Since then the firm has built itself into a global e-motorbike brand, offering entry level commuter bikes to more powerful machines like the SR/S, in more than 30 countries worldwide.

In 2022, Zero expanded its model line-up further with the launch of the DSR/X adventure bike, which blends urban and motorway commuting with off-road capabilities. 

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