Rivian spinoff Also reveals a high-end modular e-bike for $4,500

Several years ago, arsenic a skunkworks squad of engineers wrong Rivian acceptable retired to make a micromobility vehicle, 1 question loomed. “What bash we physique in-house?” Rivian laminitis and CEO RJ Scaringe said successful an interrogation recounting the aboriginal days of Also, which spun retired of Rivian earlier this year.

“We realized the lone mode to bash this good is to physique everything,” said Scaringe, who sits connected Also’s board.

The result, which was revealed Wednesday astatine an lawsuit successful Oakland, is simply a pedal-assist electrical motorcycle called the TM-B that is much than conscionable a bike, according to Scaringe and Also President Chris Yu. “This is simply a full level of products we’re going to physique successful the microspace,” Scaringe said.

At a passing glance, this “more than a bike” looks similar a bike, albeit a sleekly designed 1 that has a fewer hidden-in-plain show features. But Yu contends that what lies beneath the aboveground is what makes the TM-B peculiar and compelling capable to interruption into a crowded e-bike market.

Image Credits:Rivian

The TM-B volition travel successful respective trims, including a motorboat edition, performance, and basal versions. The motorboat variation has identical specs with the show trim, including a artillery that has an estimated 100-mile range, 10 assistive levels, aerial shocks and aerial fork for the suspension, and 2 thrust modes including sport. The motorboat edition, which costs $4,500, is sprinkled with peculiar “launch” colors of a purple ube and blue, and volition travel to marketplace this spring.

The show trim, which besides retails astatine $4,500, is expected to travel to marketplace successful the archetypal fractional of 2026. The basal version, which has a artillery with up to 60 miles of range, 5 assistive levels, an aerial daze and coil fork for the suspension, and 1 modular thrust mode, is expected to outgo little than $4,000 erstwhile it hits the marketplace successful the 2nd fractional of adjacent year, according to Yu.

All of the bikes are equipped with beforehand and rear LED lighting with integrated crook signals. Biomotion plan illuminates rider’s legs arsenic they pedal connected the TM-B, which has 24-inch wheels. The TM-B tin besides beryllium outfitted with all-terrain tires, pedals, and a way thrust mode that gives riders much manual power implicit the ride.

The artillery is removable and comes with USB-C accelerated charging up to 240 watts that lets users powerfulness up devices. There is an integrated information diagnostic to support the artillery and the motorcycle harmless arsenic well. The information strategy is engaged erstwhile the rider walks distant from the motorcycle automatically locks the battery, wheels, and frame. If it is tampered with, the rider volition person an alert via the Also app and the motorcycle itself volition emit a large honking sound. As a broadside note: that honking dependable tin beryllium deployed by the rider arsenic they navigate metropolis streets.

The tech wrong the TM-B

Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec

Everything was developed by the Also and Rivian team, including the removable artillery pack, powerfulness electronics, software, firmware, and a pedal-by-wire propulsion strategy that has nary mechanical transportation betwixt a rider’s pedaling and the question of the bike.

Even the tools to physique these elements were designed here, according to Also CTO Jonathan Hall, who spoke to TechCrunch up of the event.

All of the trims person respective standout plan and functional features, including a cardinal touchscreen show that is integrated betwixt the handlebars, and a modular apical framework that allows the idiosyncratic to alteration from a solo, bench, oregon inferior cargo setup wrong a fewer seconds.

The modular solo spot comes with 2 h2o vessel cages. The inferior setup has an integrated rear rack, 1 h2o vessel cage mount, and tin transportation astir further 77 pounds of cargo. Also is offering a 3rd seat enactment arsenic well. And each of these tin beryllium swapped retired successful a fewer seconds and without tools.

Notably, the bundle of each setup is aligned with that idiosyncratic and syncs with the cardinal touchscreen.

The helmet

Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec

The institution besides developed a helmet in-house called the Alpha Wave Helmet that uses a recently developed exertion to amended rotational interaction extortion and a redesigned strap truthful the idiosyncratic tin tighten it — nary snapping — with 1 hand.

The helmet has galore tech features beyond protecting your brain, including integrated lights and an audio strategy with 4 wind-shielded speakers and 2 noise-canceling microphones. The helmet syncs with the bike’s cardinal “portal” touchscreen oregon the rider’s telephone truthful they tin perceive to music, instrumentality calls, and person turn-by-turn navigation.