Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof is again two years after chapter with its first mannequin designed underneath new management. And regardless of previous criticism that VanMoof’s over-reliance on customized elements led to the corporate’s downfall, the S6 sticks to the model’s signature bespoke design.
In the present day, VanMoof is betting that larger high quality customized elements, alongside a extra sturdy servicing community, will enable it to remain true to its design-forward, tech-heavy core, whereas avoiding the restore and servicing pitfalls that got here out of scaling a specialised product too rapidly.
“I don’t assume there’s a purpose for VanMoof to exist if we’re going to make use of off-the-shelf elements like everybody else,” co-CEO Elliot Wertheimer informed TechCrunch backstage at Micromobility Europe in Brussels this week. “We’re right here to push design, to have a motorbike that, in case you’ve by no means ridden an e-bike in your life, you get on it and it’s intuitive. Simple, like an iPhone.”
VanMoof beforehand raised greater than $200 million in enterprise capital and gained a cult following for its premium, minimalist-designed e-bikes outfitted with built-in lights, batteries, and motors.
VanMoof’s distinctive promoting level turned its greatest legal responsibility. Like many venture-backed {hardware} companies, the corporate grew too rapidly to function sustainably. When bikes broke down, clients have been left stranded by an underdeveloped restore community and constrained provide — a consequence of the corporate’s determination to make use of customized elements as an alternative of off-the-shelf elements.
The startup filed for chapter in July 2023. A month later it was scooped up by e-scooter maker Lavoie, a enterprise division of McLaren Utilized, which itself was previously part of McLaren Group that builds elements for the McLaren F1.
Wertheimer mentioned with help from McLaren Utilized’s System 1 experience, VanMoof was in a position to redesign each part that had brought on points in previous fashions, utilizing efficiency information to create extra dependable customized elements. Lots of these elements are co-designed with massive producers, which not solely assures high quality, but additionally availability of elements ought to something occur to VanMoof once more, in keeping with Wertheimer.
In sure areas of the enterprise, VanMoof relented to a extra industry-standard strategy. The corporate’s batteries, for instance, are actually co-designed and manufactured by Panasonic; VanMoof solely provides the mechanical and software program integration. Beforehand, VanMoof had led on battery design.
The true crucial piece, although, is an improved help community, in keeping with Wertheimer.
“We fastened the entire enterprise, from unit economics, logistics, and after-sale service,” Wertheimer mentioned. “We couldn’t exit with one thing new earlier than we arrange the infrastructure to take action.”
VanMoof has constructed up a community of 250 restore facilities and 130 gross sales companions, and is focusing gross sales on markets like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
“Now we have constructed a tech suite for [our repair partners] when it comes to the place they will purchase elements, a diagnostics app, a correct monitoring system that tracks which elements went the place, et cetera, to make guarantee claims simpler for them,” Wertheimer mentioned, including that VanMoof has arrange a web-based coaching course for mechanic companions. “That’s tremendous nicely arrange and we’re rising the community quick. We’re including 10 shops every week.”
VanMoof additionally hopes to launch within the U.S. by the tip of 2025. Nevertheless, Wertheimer mentioned these plans have stalled as the corporate waits to see how President Trump’s tariffs coverage shakes out.
The corporate has already began taking reservations for the S6 in its present lively markets, and expects to ship the primary few thousand automobiles to start with of August.
The VanMoof S6: A brand new hope
Prospects have been already complaining about sluggish restore occasions earlier than VanMoof’s transient shutdown in 2023. When it went bankrupt, some clients stranded with damaged bikes; others who had put down deposits for brand new bikes have been out a whole lot of {dollars}. Belief within the model plummeted.
Whereas some could by no means forgive VanMoof for its failures, the brand new S6 may may simply assist clients bear in mind why they beloved the model within the first place.
I gave the S6 a fast spin this week in Brussels and was delighted to lastly perceive why so many riders had as soon as gone gaga for VanMoof.
It’s a sexy-looking bike. The S6 has the enduring VanMoof body, made even sleeker with no seen welding. It additionally is available in a number of matte colours, together with an “electrical blue” that regarded extra like lilac to me, and a pearl mint that Wertheimer says “adjustments within the gentle” from white to inexperienced.
“We spent plenty of time on the colours,” he mentioned.
The tech options are additionally spectacular. Wertheimer mentioned the corporate redesigned the digital suite with assist from McLaren Utilized to make sure longevity even after the bike has been via its paces in rain, chilly, warmth, and different circumstances.
The S6 platform delivers different options that VanMoof followers will acknowledge, just like the Halo Ring which replaces a standard show and glows completely different colours to maintain riders knowledgeable about battery life and pace. The Halo on the S6 is way brighter, addressing complaints from previous fashions of it being too dim in direct daylight.
New tech options embody an built-in navigation that pairs the bike to an accompanying cellular app, offering turn-by-turn instructions through the Halo lights and sounds. There’s additionally a brand new sound ecosystem, which features a smooth, however agency, cricket-like sound {that a} rider can use rather than a bell to alert different street customers to their presence.
Anti-theft options have come commonplace on virtually all VanMoof e-bike fashions, however Wertheimer says the S6 is even higher.
“Now we have a brand new monitoring system that’s rather more correct,” he mentioned, noting the system depends on mobile tower triangulation, GPS sign, WiFi, and Bluetooth to find out location of the automobile inside 2 meters.
Wertheimer additionally mentioned VanMoof will quickly introduce crash detection and different security options.
As for the experience itself, the S6’s improved mechanical shifting system comes pre-tuned from the manufacturing facility and robotically adjusts primarily based on pace, permitting for smoother momentum. It additionally works in tandem with the bike’s 4 pedal-assist ranges. The front-wheel motor, co-developed with “a significant Japanese producer,” contributes to a extra pure, intuitive driving expertise. And the brand new suspension seatpost handles bumps within the street nicely. For a motorbike that solely weighs 51 kilos, it’s surprisingly sturdy.
And, in fact, the enduring enhance button provides that further little bit of oomph, making riders really feel like they’ve simply ridden over a mushroom in Mario Kart.
“Once we took over VanMoof, we inherited nice design, and a powerful product ecosystem,” Wertheimer mentioned. “We spent two years rebuilding our firm and model to succeed in this launch…We’re prepared to indicate the world what we will do once more. That’s what we see within the S6, our ebike that may ship on 11 years of guarantees.”