Image Credit: Captain Electro.
The only thing better than a pile of cash is a pile of cash spent on shoes. That's what I always say, but I suppose spending it on electric motorcycles is a close second. And that is exactly what is happening across the pond. A lovely little company called Maeving, based in Coventry (sounds like a place where people solve murders while drinking Earl Grey), secured a massive bag of money - about $14 million to be exact (that's £11 million for my friends who speak the Queen's English).
Why should we care about a British startup getting a direct deposit that looks like a lottery win? Because they are taking that $14 million, which includes a nice $630,000 chunk from the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund, and they are planning an invasion. Maeving is using this "runway" to scale up production and push their bikes right into our backyard here in North America. Unlike the Beatles, however, these guys are arriving silently.
Image Credit: Maeving.
The thing about Maeving that makes me want to pinch their cheeks? They aren't trying to be Tesla. They aren't trying to build a rocket ship that requires a pilot's license and a prayer to operate. Founders Will Stirrup and Sebastian Inglis-Jones (names so British I feel I need to curtsy just reading them) decided to lean into "restraint." With every EV manufacturer screaming about going 0 to 60 in two seconds, Maeving is taking a different road, effectively saying, "Relax. Enjoy the scenery."
The two motorcycles the company makes - the Maeving RM1 and RM1S - are powered by a rear hub motor that puts out about 11 horsepower. Not much, I know, but that puts it in the same class as a 125cc gas bike, which is enough for zipping around the city. It tops out at around 70 miles per hour. Is that going to win you a drag race? Absolutely not. Is it enough to get you on the highway without fearing for your life? Just barely, but yes.
Image Credit: Maeving.
The part that actually makes me giddy is the battery situation. We all know range anxiety is real - it's the same feeling I get when my phone hits 4%, and I'm nowhere near a charger. Maeving uses a removable battery system. You get two batteries, totaling about 4.4 kWh of capacity, and you can pull them out and charge them in a standard wall outlet. No special garage wiring, no hunting for a public station that is inevitably broken. Unfortunately, each battery weighs about 33 pounds… I guess you get a free workout carrying them inside. The range is about 80 miles in the city, which is perfect unless your commute involves crossing state lines.
The design is just delicious. Both have a steel frame, conventional suspension, and an upright seating position that won't make your chiropractor rich. Both look like simple, unfussy, and charming motorcycles, not a kitchen appliance from the year 3000. With the new funding, Maeving can finally teach the rest of the world that electric motorcycles don't have to be weird tech experiments. They can just be cool, quiet bikes that get you to brunch on time.
Related article:
Silent Riding Is Better with a Co-Pilot: Meet the Maeving RM2
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