Electrek | EV and Tesla News, Green Energy, Ebikes, and more

Rad Power Bikes has a new owner, and Life EV plans to build e-bikes in the US - here's what it means for riders.

Rad Power Bikes Gets a Second Life

Rad Power Bikes, once the biggest name in direct-to-consumer e-bikes in North America, has officially been acquired. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) completed a court-approved purchase of the brand, its intellectual property, inventory, and key operating assets. The new owner has stated its intention to manufacture e-bikes in the United States.

For anyone who’s been watching Rad’s turbulent last couple of years, this is a significant turning point. The brand built a massive following by offering affordable, practical e-bikes that everyday commuters and recreational riders actually wanted. A US-based manufacturing operation could mean shorter shipping times, better quality control, and potentially easier warranty service for customers.

Why This Matters for E-Bike Buyers

Domestic production is a big deal right now. With ongoing tariff uncertainty affecting imports from China (where most e-bikes are assembled), a US-built Rad bike could sidestep pricing headaches that have hit nearly every other brand. It also signals that serious money still sees a future in the North American e-bike market, even after Rad’s financial struggles.

More From the EV World This Week

Beyond e-bikes, March 6 brought a few other notable stories. BYD demonstrated its Flash Charging tech on the new Seal 07 EV, going from 10% to 70% battery in just 5 minutes. Hyundai confirmed it’s dropping the IONIQ 6 from its US lineup despite record sales months. And Swedish trucking company Einride is pushing forward with a $1.35 billion SPAC deal to go public, backed by a $113 million oversubscribed capital raise.

What to Watch

The real question for Rad fans is timeline. Life EV hasn’t shared specifics on when US-built bikes will hit the market or whether existing models like the RadRunner and RadRover will carry over. Keep an eye on pricing too. Building in the US isn’t cheap, and it remains to be seen whether Rad can maintain the value-first positioning that made it popular in the first place.

Source: Electrek