See one in person
If you want to see one for yourself, swing by Bike Happy Hour tomorrow! (Weds, 5/10). A Vvolt staffer will be on hand to answer questions.
Portland-based electric bike company Vvolt has launched a new line of utility-focused models. The three new bikes signal an exciting new direction for the company, one that embraces a goal of helping people ditch cars for many trips and use bicycles to get more things done.
“We designed the Utility Series as sensible choices for daily transportation that are less expensive and more fun for riders and their families!” reads a statement from Vvolt. “These efficient and affordable vehicles are designed from the ground up to help folks ride more and drive less.”
All three models offer a single-sized frame that fits a wide range of riders, low standover heights, interchangeable cargo and accessory attachment options, integrated lights, belt drives instead of greasy chains, and hydraulic disc brakes. Prices range from $2,049 to $4,499.
Vvolt launched two years ago and today’s announcement is a sign that the company, which was founded by Showers Pass CEO Kyle Ranson, is poised for growth.
Here are the details on each model:
Slice Lite ($2,049)
The essence of the Utility Family, with a super-simple singlespeed drive system powered by a rear hub motor. It’s the most simple and fun daily transportation we could imagine. Riders can use pedal-assist mode or twist the throttle for added boost when starting. That boost comes in handy when toting up to 40lbs of stuff in the Cargo Module, and the party keeps going into the night thanks to front and rear Multivision integrated lighting. Highlights:
- Class 2 ebike | 20mph on pedal assist or throttle
- 500wh integrated+removable battery provides up to 50-mile range
- Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist
- 3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension
- Hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping
- 360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting
- Preorders for Slice Lite are open at $2049, with deliveries beginning in July. Each preorder includes a free front cargo module (a $200 value.)
PIE
A cargo powerhouse. With 100nm of mid-drive torque on tap, riders will flatten hills with up to 440 lbs of total load. Hit the road to an outdoor concert, skip the school drop-off line, or load up for an overnighter at your local state park. The dual-battery system provides 1000+wh of power, supplying 80+ miles of real-world range.
- Class 3 ebike | 28mph on pedal assist, with a boost button for easy starts
- 1000+wh dual battery system | 80+ miles range
- Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist
- GPS+4G connected smart system provides theft deterrent and enables OTA updates
- 3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension
- Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping
- 360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting
- A multitude of cargo configurations- compatible with common rear rack accessories as well as Vvolt custom cargo solutions
- PIE reservations are open, with a refundable $200 reservation locking in the early bird launch price of $4499 for the premium dual-battery edition. Specifications subject to change prior to production. Deliveries will begin in late 2023.
Slice DLX
Personal urban transportation, optimized. Don’t just believe us, check the results– it’s already won an IDA Design Awards Silver medal and made the final jury at the IF Design Awards. These honors are due in part to the shared attention to accessible sizing, ride quality and visibility shared by the rest of the family, but Slice DLX takes it to the max. We put the powertrain from PIE in a more compact package, offering more torque, power and range than you probably need, then topped it off with sleek integrated rear dropout lighting, premium wheels and powerful quad-piston brakes. Slice DLX will also feature premium finish options including paint-matched fenders and front cargo module.
- Class 3 ebike | 28mph on pedal assist, with a boost button for easy starts
- 600+wh integrated battery | 80+ miles range
- Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist
- GPS+4G connected smart system provides theft deterrent and enables OTA updates
- 3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension
- Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping
- 360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting
- Premium colorways w/paint-matched accessories
- Slice DLX will be available in late 2023, with a target price of $3999. Interested riders can join Vvolt’s Utility Fam waitlist for additional news as we finalize development.
These bikes look great. We are so excited to see these from a Portland-based company!
They aren’t available for purchase yet, but preorders are open and deliveries are expected later this year. If you want to see one for yourself, the only place you can do that at the moment is by swinging by the Bike Happy Hour tomorrow (Wednesday, May 10th). Vvolt’s Nick Wood will roll over with a late-stage prototype so everyone can kick the tires and ask questions. Hope to see you there!
Thanks for reading.
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It’s amusing that the 60 lb slice lite is described as “lite”.
Until e-bike manufacturers start to care about bike weight most models won’t appeal to people who do not have access to safe ground floor parking or an elevator.
truth. i live on the 23rd floor. i have an elevator but i’m only 5′ tall and over 60 years old. i had to get the smallest bike friday e-assist. it’s around 50 pounds with battery, controller, and front hub … less with the battery off, and fits in an elevator. it lives in my living room. i don’t even trust the fobbed bike room in my gated garage. we still get break ins. portland could be so much better with safe bike parking. i never leave the bike on the street. i won’t even leave my non-electric bike on the street unless i’m only going into a business for a moment.
The PIE seems to fall in a weird legal grey area between an e-bike and a moped in Oregon. They seem to be trying to skirt the law by having the throttle cap at 20 mph to qualify it as an e-bike but the law doesn’t specify if the motor needs to cap out at 20 for assisted or unassisted. It just says “incapable of propelling the vehicle at a speed of greater than 20 miles per hour on level ground.” I would think that the word propel would apply to pedal assist and throttle.
I can’t find anything in the ORS that says if there’s a maximum speed to assisted motors in general. Since it exceeds the e-bike max speed of 20 mph it would have to be considered a moped. The moped definition includes bicycles equipped with a power source and unassisted speeds up to 30 mph which would include 20 mph.
The legislature would need to change the e-bike definition to allow speeds up to 28 mph assisted by the motor for it to count as an e-bike.
Our mid-drive Utility models are a little odd in that they have a “boost” button, not a throttle. Riders can have a few seconds of non-pedal power but it’s not continuous. It’s designed to aid in starts and/or doing something like slow uphill turns (think of some of our bike/ped overcrossing approach ramps.)
The button will be removable, in which case they (like our current mid-drive models) will be conforming with Class 3 regulations in states that have adopted the 3-class model.
The turbo boost button is a thoughtful and helpful design choice. Starting from a stop with full boost or turbo mode on Specialized ebikes is terrifying. Really wish all ebikes had boost buttons instead. I’m looking forward to test riding the new Vvolt utility series bikes later this year.
I haven’t ridden a lot of different e-bikes but the experience I have had makes me think that the take off from a stand is a weak point for strongly assisted bikes. Many people come to e-bikes from human-powered bikes and they don’t have a prepared reaction for the combination of power and weight in some e-bikes.
For a motorcycle rider or a person used to heavy bikes with unusual geometry it might not be a big deal. However I think it’s a design flaw to give an average bike rider a 4X boost off the line. I also hated the top power level on one e-bike I used and would only switch into it rolling, if at all.
Not cheap but they look super cool.
These are really great designs, nice work vvolt! Jonathan, I think you used to Slice Lite photo again for the Slice DLX.
Thanks Brandon! Fixed that.
Unfortunately, there is no bike design that is truly “one size fits all”. This is going to just not work for very tall and very short riders. I guess it simplifies their international frame building supply chain, though.
i tried so many e-bikes. at 5′ tall, only a bike friday worked for me. even the smallest TERN or Pedego, way too big.