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Rivian's Skunkworks Yields a Modular E-Bike
The Also TM-B is going into production
Rivian has a skunkworks, and earlier this year they created something so potentially impactful that they created a spin-off to bring it to market. They tapped Rivian VP Chris Yu to lead the new company, called Also, who teased what they were working on: "What we're building is easy, intuitive, and tech-enabled in all the right ways," he wrote. "It's a joy in the most childlike sense."
Now they've pulled the sheets off. Also is a mobility company designing electric sub-car vehicles "to rethink how we get around in today's world," starting with this TM-B, a modular e-bike.
The heart of the bike is this DreamRide drive system, containing the motor and the battery. When you pedal, you're not driving a chain, but are instead driving a generator. The motor then drives the rear wheel via a belt.
The battery is "vehicle-grade," the company says, meaning its quality, safety and engineering standards match what you'd find in an EV (the regulations for e-bike batteries are considerably less stringent). The 1 kWH battery can be popped out for charging or to use as a powerbank.
As for the modular part: The seatpost—which they're referring to as the "top frame"--can be popped off of the bike, and you can swap in different ones for different applications. At present they offer a standard Solo frame, a Utility frame for carrying stuff and a Bench frame for carrying a passenger.
Both wheels feature full suspensions.
The front and rear LED lights are decidedly Rivian-like.
There's a 5" touchscreen that can be used for navigation or to display riding data.
The bike is said to have a range of 60 to 100 miles.
They're currently taking pre-orders for the $4,500 bike and say it will ship in spring 2026.
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Comments
That removable seat post or "Top Frame" is of questionable use. The three versions shown look like they can be accomplished by just bolting on the rack or changing the seat. No need to change the entire seat tube. It also looks like it will be a source for all kinds of squeaks and creaks very quickly.
Just adding a feature for the sake of adding a feature.
Not a single image of the bike with fenders makes me question whether this is designed by people who bike regularly or have even a vague understanding of the term user insight.
The concept of crank to generator instead of direct drive is interesting, I'm curious to see how it works out. $4,500 when e-bikes can be had new for well under $1k is gonna be a hard sell though.
Nice, but build a smaller truck. Their current offerings are ginormous.
There's a lot of stuff I like about this but jeez that's a LOT of proprietary parts. Most standard bicycles will still be rideable and repairable in 20 years, will this be?
Dead on arrival.
As someone who cycle commuted year-round in a US Great Lakes adjacent city, with massive freeze-thaw cycles and the associated car-axle-eating potholes... I was on the cusp of seeing MTBs welcomed as urban rides for the suspension. It made a huge difference for so many riders. All it takes is one older, rutted pavement section on a regular ride to make a suspension a delight, although modern fat tire setups close the gap a bit. Today, I see a LOT of people enjoying suspension e-bikes on the major bike trail commuter routes. Think of suspension as a kind of accessibility feature: it brings in riders who might not otherwise want to or be able to enjoy the experience even in paved urban areas environments.
There's just as much desire-driven purchases in E-bikes as any other sector, so price is not a deathnail, plus 4500USD (3800€) is not that much above a basic Vanmoof, for example.
Definitly not MTB tyres, just tyres.
A bike with the weight of this without suspension would be a terrible ride experience.
Inverted forks can be lower maintenaince than "conventional" since gravitiy help to prolong seal life.
There are numerous bikes with removable batteries and concealed locks, nothing too unusual there.
Outrageously complicated drivetrain: yep, fair point.