Out of all the technological advancements and innovations Tesla has brought to the table, we can definitively say that the EV pioneer is late when it comes to one thing: electric bicycles. Indeed, nearly all other car manufacturers occupying the EV space have either already rolled out or expressed interest in launching electric bicycles.
In fact, we’ve talked about these e-bikes in considerable detail in the past. For instance, Porsche has been undertaking a lot of e-bike-focused initiatives lately, with the likes of the Fazua acquisition, a majority stake in Greyp bikes, as well as the in-house development of Porsche-branded e-bikes. Porsche aside, BMW has been producing a variety of urban mobility devices for quite some time now, and Rivian has expressed its interest in the segment, with plans of launching its own e-bike in the not-too-distant future.
So, what about Tesla? Well, Elon Musk has acknowledged the rapid growth of the e-bike segment in the past. In an interview in 2018, he said himself that Tesla “might do an electric bike.” The conceptual design of said bike is pictured above. Well, it’s now five years later, and we still have no Tesla e-bike. That said, it seems that the market is more than ready for one, as a recent article by Electrek highlights data from a survey conducted that many buyers indeed want a Tesla electric bicycle.
The survey was conducted by eBikes.org, and its research shows that Tesla is in fact the most desired brand to build an electric bicycle. Interestingly, the electric car maker was the first choice for a majority of men who took the survey. As for the women, well, it turns out they’d very much like jewelry and accessory company Tiffany & Co. to produce an e-bike. What about a collab between Tesla and Tiffany & Co., then?
All jokes aside, the data taken from the survey could be yet another gold mine for Tesla, and with e-bike technology already so advanced and accessible today, chances are the folks at Tesla could be more than capable of producing an e-bike that’s both tech-laden and affordable – provided it’s reliable and has acceptable build quality. Interestingly, the eBike.org survey revealed that people would be willing to pay an average of $2,254 USD for a Tesla electric bicycle. All things considered, that’s quite a chunk of change, as you can get some pretty decent e-bikes for half that money.
Looking at things from the bigger picture, an e-bike from Tesla could very easily tie into the brand’s image as a whole. After all, Tesla’s S3XY model range does appeal to a broad demographic, with the X and Y models particularly suited to folks with a more or less active lifestyle. Surely, an electric bicycle – presumably one designed for urban and suburban exploring – would fit the bill perfectly.