Key Takeaways
- E-bikes were one of the biggest attractions at CES 2024.
- Some of the main themes at CES 2024 included battery recycling and mobility.
- Several e-bike brands unveiled new models, but the standout was Urtopia's AI-driven model.
Between January 9 and January 12, CES 2024 hosted more than 4,300 exhibitors and welcomed over 135,000 attendees. It also reported a record-breaking 1,500 global startups.
While CES showcases all kinds of tech, e-bikes and related technology stole the show. Here’s an overview of the top products that have the potential to revolutionize e-bikes and the whole riding experience.
We dive into some bike-related technology, so if you’re just here for the new e-bike models, jump down to the Mobility section.
Sustainability
Sustainability and eco-friendliness are some of the e-bikes’ biggest draws — but there’s still room for improvement, particularly regarding batteries and materials. We saw the first closed-loop bike tire at EUROBIKE 2023, giving us high expectations for sustainability innovations at CES 2024.
And they did not disappoint.
New Sustainable Material
E-bike companies often focus on creating the most lightweight and streamlined model, implementing materials like titanium or carbon fiber. With continued material innovation, we might see even lighter, stronger, and more sustainable frames.
At CES 2024, ANPOLY revealed its eco-friendly material, Re:ancel, made from the plant material cellulose. This award-winning material is lighter than iron and five times stronger. It’s already used in composite materials to create auto parts, so it might be the next go-to material for bike frames.
Battery Recycling
One of the most impactful conversations at CES 2024 was about batteries, which piqued our interest, considering all the recent news surrounding e-bike batteries.
Here’s what Rick Kessler, Senior Advisor in the EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management, had to say:
"When batteries are discarded improperly…they can start fires. They can cause air pollution and overburden communities. And they can threaten worker safety. Now, when we discard batteries improperly, we also lose the critical minerals that are in them. And that leads to a need for mining and more use of virgin materials."
The EPA proposed battery recycling, and many companies back that solution.
In theory, battery recycling can help lower the risk of fires due to improper discarding, establish a circular economy, and support long-term electric transportation growth. If manufacturers can safely source the materials from existing batteries, they won’t need to increase mining to meet the growing demand for e-bikes and EVs.
The company POEN has already developed a way to remanufacture EV batteries for e-bike owners. Its cutting-edge process ensures high-quality results that rival new batteries and cost one-third the price.
We are cautiously optimistic about this innovation. Old, recycled batteries have been the cause of several fires. But if companies like POEN perfect the process, battery recycling can make e-bikes even more sustainable.
Tiny Batteries
Speaking of batteries, how often do you wish your e-bike weighed a bit less or didn’t have a bulky battery? Well, smaller battery packs might be available in the near future.
I-TEN SA won the CES Best of Innovation award for developing rechargeable micro-batteries measuring just a few millimeters. While these tiny batteries are currently making waves in medical applications, watches, and smart cards, it’s only a matter of time before the technology reaches the EV and e-bike industries.
Battery Rejuvenator
We weren’t kidding when we said there was a focus on batteries at CES 2024. Mocuratec’s Li-juvenator is yet another product focused on battery improvement. It uses pulse charging tech to extend lithium-ion batteries’ lifespan by 400 percent. With a longer lifespan, there’s less risk of over-charging and, therefore, less risk of explosions.
While Mocuratec released this product for EVs, the tech may also work for e-bikes. It could even offer a more immediate solution to e-bike battery safety while waiting to see whether battery recycling is a reliable option.
Digital Health
You’re probably wondering what in the world digital health has to do with electric bikes — but CES 2024 actually proved that the two industries overlap quite a bit.
Bike Simulator
Take, for example, the ULTIRACER NEO from South Korean startup RealDesignTech. Since it’s technically an exercise product, this third-generation cycling simulator won a CES Innovation Award in the digital health category. However, it doesn’t just offer a new way to exercise — it provides an experience.
Unlike a typical stationary bike, this simulator allows you to hook up your bike and experience the movement of biking. It generates wind, balance, and even the side-to-side movement of pedaling. While it doesn’t quite replace an outdoor experience, the software provides the next best thing. Plus, it eliminates concerns about accidents, weather, and limited access to biking infrastructure.
Wearable Tech
Another honoree, MindMics, took a unique approach to wearable tech. It unveiled earbuds that help monitor heart health, focusing primarily on blood pressure management and stress recovery. In combination with the app, users can check their physiological state and follow the steps to better manage their health.
Human Security for All
Human Security for All, or HS4A, is a global campaign highlighting how technology intertwines with and improves every aspect of life. The tech in this category is diverse, and we can see how several products might quickly become must-haves for bikers.
Here are a few Innovation Award honorees in the human security category that piqued our interest.
Glucose Monitor
Glucose monitors are nothing new, as diabetes patients have used them for years. However, what is new is the focus on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in sports science. Athletes like pro bikers are now turning to CGM to better track their energy levels and adjust their fueling strategies.
Instead of using the typical CGM products that prick or go under the skin, they can use NEOGLY by ECLYPIA. This non-invasive monitor sits like a bracelet on the wrist and reliably monitors glucose levels.
Smart Glasses
E-bike manufacturers have begun incorporating smart systems into their bikes so riders don’t have to rely on their phones while riding. But what if you could access all that information right in your line of sight, just like in all those sci-fi movies?
Vuzix Ultralite S might just make that possible. These lightweight smart glasses connect to your phone or smartwatch and display the information you need on the lenses using micro-LED displays. You then get hands-free access to route information, messages, music, and more while riding.
Airbag Vest
Whether you’re biking along mountain trails or alongside cars in the city, security is likely a top concern. And that’s why Safeware developed a wearable airbag just for mobility riders.
Unlike other versions of wearable airbags, you might actually want to wear this vest. It has a sleek, futuristic look with reflective strips for increased visibility. In the event of an accident, the vest activates in 0.2 seconds and provides a cushion for the head, neck, shoulders, back, and chest. It also sends the accident location to first responders.
Mobility
CES is known as one of the best places to find cutting-edge automobile technology. However, the focus has shifted to include much more than just cars. Brian Comiskey, Director of Thematic Programs at CTA, said this in his introduction to CES 2024:
"We're not just one of the largest auto shows here at CES — we're the largest mobility show. And what that future is going to look like is electric… It's not just about the car here at CES. There's going to be electric boats. There's going to be scooters [and] e-bikes. There are going to even be electric construction vehicles, as well as flying cars."
Of course, we already knew that the future is electric, but it’s exciting to see e-bikes front and center at such an influential tech event.
Ready to see just a few of the e-bikes that were on display at CES 2024? Let’s dive in.
Urtopia: Where Artificial Intelligence Meets E-Bikes
Drumroll, please! AI has officially integrated the e-bike market.
Urtopia is a brand-new e-bike company founded in 2021, and its “Bike with a Mind” has already made waves. This AI-driven e-bike is the first model to integrate ChatGPT and an AI chat box. It allows riders to converse with their ‘copilot’ about directions, the weather, ideas for a work proposal, and even astrophysics.
The e-bike’s smart IoT system also helps personalize the biking experience by optimizing power modes and offering accurate riding data. This lowers carbon emissions, reduces battery size, and improves energy efficiency.
On top of that, the e-bike has a biometric lock (just like your smartphone) and a gamepad controller. Utopia even developed a smart ring that adjusts the bike to meet your needs and monitors your workout.
Urtopia’s latest model, Fusion, turned heads at CES 2024. While it’s not yet available to the public, we can’t wait for it to come out. It boasts two motors and two batteries — and the design is so sleek you can’t even tell.
Himiway: Diverse, Family-Friendly Options
Another star of CES 2024 was Himiway, considering its expansive and diverse layout. The company showcased several new models alongside upgraded versions of existing e-bikes.
The main focus was Himiway’s C series, heralded as a family-friendly e-bike collection. The C1 electric bike for kids was certainly a standout with its motorcycle-esque design and 350W rear-hub motor.
Before you get jealous that there’s no adult-sized version, Himiway unveiled its C5 moto/e-bike design at CES 2024. It boasts a 750W motor and a max speed of 20 mph.
The X5 Ultra and Pro models also turned heads. Not only are they visually appealing, but these eMTBs will offer top-of-the-line components like RockShox suspension and lightweight carbon-fiber frames.
Another new e-bike is the A7 Pro, which has a step-through frame and 750Wh battery. It comes with a built-in wheel lock and adjustable ergonomics.
Vanpowers: Leading Smart E-Bikes
Urtopia made history with the first AI-integrated e-bike, but Vanpowers doesn’t seem too far behind. Its latest models, the UrbanCross and the GrandTeton, sport a cutting-edge smart security system with features like a hub motor lock, geofencing, and a vibration detector.
The UrbanCross model, as you can imagine, is designed for commuting, leisure riding, and fitness with a 62-mile range. It also performs well on gravel paths, thanks to the advanced gravel frame and handlebar.
Vanpowers offers the GrandTeton for mountain bikers. It comes with Tektro 4-piston hydraulic breaks, a 130Nm torque sensor, and a 110-mile range.
Both models are not yet available to the public, but we expect them later in 2024.
MileBox: The Future of Deliveries
We predicted that 2024 would see an increase in the use of e-bikes as delivery vehicles, and that change has already started, thanks to MileBox.
MileBox is a Canadian startup that just released a solution to decarbonized urban deliveries: the supercargo e-bike. Unlike your typical cargo e-bike with a rear rack or space for an extra seat, the MileBox e-bike incorporates a massive carrying box in front of the rider.
It even comes with an IoT-powered fleet management system, making it easy for companies to incorporate this urban delivery solution.
FUELL: Leader in E-Bike Range
FUELL creates e-bikes and e-motos for urban riders in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. It unveiled two new e-bikes at CES 2024: the Flluid-3/3S and the Flluid-2/2S.
Both models include ultra-long ranges, with the 3/3S bikes lasting up to 110 miles and the 2/2S bikes boasting a 225-mile range. The latter is one of the longest ranges we’ve seen on an e-bike, made possible with two removable batteries totaling 2,000W.
These e-bikes also include a Valeo Cyclee Mid-Drive Unit with 130Nm of torque. The 7-speed adaptive gearbox even uses algorithms to predict your pedaling style and automatically shift gears in less than 100 milliseconds.
You can even download the FUELL rider app for smart security. It lets you lock, unlock, and locate your e-bike remotely and access usage data.
Like several other models showcased at CES 2024, these aren’t yet available to the public. But they’re definitely on our watch list.
Topsecret: A Futuristic Hubless E-Bike
The new Topsecret e-bike turned heads at CES 2024 with its futuristic style and hubless wheels. Of course, this isn’t the first hubless e-bike (Reevo released a hubless e-bike a few years ago), but we’re intrigued by this new design trend.
This Korean-made e-bike also has airless tires that remove any concern about getting a flat. In fact, Topsecret states that the new tire design is bulletproof, anti-slip, and wear-resistant.
As a bonus, the battery lasts up to 80 miles on PAS. Whether that’s realistic is yet to be seen, but this is a brand to watch.
Korea Mobility: Award-Winning Hubless E-Bike
Hubless e-bikes are definitely trending. Out of all the e-bikes at CES 2024, Korea Mobility’s KOMO hubless design was the only electric bike Innovation Award honoree.
Interestingly, this design came from a mobility company, not an e-bike company. Korea Mobility produces bikes, motorcycles, and e-bikes — and you can even get the KOMO bike in a traditional or electric version.
What sets the KOMO bike apart is the frame structure. Instead of welding, the bike’s frame incorporates a fitting and bolting method to offer three times as much strength. The multipurpose hubless tires also offer storage space for bags, helmets, or even billboard ads.
Cyrusher: From Snowboards to E-Bikes
Cyrusher received much attention at CES 2024 for creating the world’s first electric snowboard, pushing the company’s e-bikes to second place. However, they undoubtedly deserve some recognition for their fat-tire e-bikes.
This is the first year Cyrusher showcased e-bikes at CES, and they presented a diverse lineup. The new models included the Scout Pro — a dual-motor, dual-battery e-bike — and the mid-drive Hurricane-1000W with a carbon-fiber frame.
Segway: More Than E-Scooters
We’ve all heard about — and maybe even ridden — the Segway e-scooters. However, Segway has expanded its product lineup and came to CES 2024 touting the phrase “Beyond Limitation.”
In addition to its GoKart Pro 2 and Ninebot S2, Segway released two e-bike models: Xafair for trekking and Xyber for off-road sports. Both have built-in smart functions like automatic lock and unlock functions, power assist boost, and a multi-function dashboard. These e-bikes include a fitness tracker and health monitoring device integration, echoing the above digital health trends.
VinFast: Innovation or Imitation?
VinFast is another company that has expanded into the e-bike market, this time coming from the EV industry. It announced its new DrgnFly e-bike at CES 2024, citing inspiration from vintage and motorcycle designs.
The DrgnFly certainly has some impressive features, like a 28 mph top speed and a range of 63 miles. However, that’s nothing groundbreaking. Some people commented that the e-bike looks almost exactly like the SUPER73-ZX, and the similarities are hard to deny.
Since VinFast has seen such great success with its EVs, it will hopefully release something more innovative at CES 2025.
CES 2024: One for the Books
CES 2024 has made it clear that the future is electric. And for us, it was exciting to see so many e-bike innovations and related products that have the potential to completely revolutionize the biking experience.
From battery rejuvenation to AI integration, there’s a lot of e-bike tech that we’re eager to try. Now, just imagine what next year has in store!
