There’s a new player in the electric motorcycle market. UK-based Maeving has officially set up shop in the US, and it looks to charge up your daily commute with its retro-inspired electric two-wheelers. Electric motorcycles have been shaking up the mobility space for several years now, and small- to mid-displacement models seem to be the sweet spot when it comes to making quick work of the urban jungle.
Maeving’s two-wheelers take this up a notch by adding a touch of classic styling. In particular, the RM1 and RM1S have been announced for the US market, and are currently on display at the Bike Shed Moto Co in LA, as well as the Motoring Club and Coffee in west LA.
So, what makes Maeving's bikes so special?
Well for starters, they’re sure to catch the attention of onlookers and enthusiasts of all things retro, all while striking a chord among folks looking for more sustainable mobility alternatives. Stylistically, the RM1 and RM1S can best be described as a mash-up between a cafe racer and a bobber. With a sporty stance and a cropped tail accentuated by a floating saddle, the bikes undoubtedly look the part.
Maeving’s paid quite a lot of attention to detail, too, with the faux fuel tank that doubles as a storage compartment. The tubing that houses the wires from the battery to the controller also looks like a make-believe exhaust system—pretty cool, if you ask me.
When it comes to performance, the RM1 serves as the brand’s entry-level offering with a hub motor dishing out an approachable 3 kW (about 4 horsepower) of nominal output. The motor peaks out at 4.4 kW, or about 5.8 horsepower, and delivers a top speed of 45 miles per hour. Depending on how you spec it, the RM1 promises anywhere from 40 to 80 miles on a single charge. Quite a lot of range of an urban runabout. At $6,495 USD, it’s quite the expensive runabout, but it makes up for it with its classy styling.
As for the RM1S, it’s packing more than double the power at 7 kW (9.4 ponies) nominal and 10.5 kW (14 horsepower) max, so not only is it quicker, with a top speed of 70 miles per hour, it’s also surely much more fun to ride for folks craving the performance of a small-displacement ICE motorcycle. 80 miles of range on a single charge is also pretty decent, considering its fairly light 293-pound weight figure. For double the performance of the RM1, you’ll have to fork up quite a hefty $8,995 USD for the RM1S.
Maeving’s plans of entering the US have been circulating for nearly a year now, with the brand’s first announcement in March 2023. It was initially eyeing a late-2023 launch, but it seems its entry stateside was delayed by a couple of months.
Nevertheless, it’s cool to see new players in the highly competitive electric motorcycle game, especially now that people are more willing to experiment with all sorts of weird and wonderful mobility options.
