E-bike maker VanMoof's new 'hyperbike' is designed for long commutes

Dutch e-bike maker VanMoof has today announced the VanMoof V, a bike that goes faster and further than its predecessors, has motors in both wheels (instead of the usual single motor), wider tires, and front and rear suspension. The company is positioning the V as a “true car replacement,” and the sort of e-bike even people with long commutes can fall in love with.

VanMoof showed off some artists rendering of the V, but we’ll have to wait until next year to see the actual bike. The company says pricing for the V will come in at just under $3,600 and the first units will ship at the end of 2022.

Fast and feature-packed — The V will have a top speed of 31 miles per hour (that is, that’s when the pedal-assist will cut out), though the company says the bike is actually capable of doing 37 miles per hour. In many U.S. states, Class 1 e-bikes — those you don’t need a license to ride, and which only have pedal assist and not a throttle — are restricted to 20 miles per hour. Class 3 bikes, meanwhile, are also pedal-assist only, but limited to a top assisted speed of 28 miles per hour. So, depending on where you buy the V, it may not be able to reach VanMoof’s touted top speed due to an electronic limiter... at least until the legislation changes.

Along with the increased speed (and improved range, the quantum of which VanMoof hasn’t yet revealed), the V boasts a new frame design that nonetheless retains many of the angles and shapes of previous VanMoof e-bikes (and its imitators from the likes of Bird), along with the integrated lighting, cabling, and digital display that existing VanMoof bikes include.

A “bike-first” future — VanMoof says the pandemic has increased demand for e-bikes in Europe and the U.S., but that getting people to move away from a “car-first mentality” will require policy changes from legislators.

“We’re calling for policies designed around people, rethinking how public spaces can be used if not occupied by cars,” Ties Carlier, co-founder of VanMoof said. “I am getting very excited thinking about what a city could look like in the near future, and we are very proud to be part of the change by building the right tools for the transition.”

Carlier says the company intends to “work with city governments to explore solutions from geofencing to revised speed regulations,” to make e-bikes a more compelling option for consumers, while also ensuring riders don’t endanger other road users.

Reservations are open — Though the VanMoof V is still in development, it’s nonetheless open for “invite-only reservations” starting today for existing owners and those who’ve previously supported the company’s crowd-sourcing initiatives. Would-be owners who haven’t had an invite can sign up to the waitlist on the company’s website and will be able to put down $20 to reserve a unit in the coming months.