Folding e-bikes have steadily evolved into genuinely capable daily commuters, offering riders a practical blend of compact storage and everyday usability. As cities grow denser and more people turn to mixed-mode travel, the demand for bikes that are easy to store, carry, and ride has never been higher. This shifting landscape sets the stage for Tern’s latest update to its well-known Vektron lineup.

The upgrade to Tern’s Vektron series shows how far folding e-bikes have come in combining portability with real everyday performance. Designed for riders who need a compact bike that doesn’t compromise on power, comfort, or practicality, the 4th-generation Tern Vektron models build on the brand’s established reputation for reliable urban mobility while introducing meaningful upgrades that improve the riding experience.

Designer: Tern

At the core of the new Vektron folding e-bike is a Bosch Performance mid-drive motor that delivers up to 75 Nm of torque and smooth, responsive pedal-assist. It pairs with a 545-Wh battery integrated into the frame, delivering a range of up to about 75 miles under light assist conditions. The motor and battery work with Bosch’s Smart System, allowing riders to access ride data, navigation, and system customization through a connected smartphone, and giving the bike optional GPS-based security features.

The 4th-generation P5i configuration brings one of the most practical changes to the lineup: a Gates Carbon Drive belt system paired with a 5-speed Shimano Nexus internally geared hub. This setup runs quietly and requires minimal maintenance, making it well-suited for riders who frequently fold and store their bike in tight indoor spaces. For those who prefer a wider gear range or a sportier feel, the Vektron is also available as the P10, equipped with a traditional 10-speed derailleur drivetrain. The frame uses hydroformed 6061 aluminum and Tern’s reinforced OCL+ hinge, ensuring that the bike remains stable even under the increased torque of the updated Bosch motor. It folds in under 10 seconds into a compact structure that fits easily into car trunks, office corners, elevators, and public transport. When folded, it can stand upright or roll, adding convenience for commuters moving through tight or crowded spaces.

Designed to accommodate a broad range of riders, the cockpit includes an adjustable stem and a telescopic seat post suitable for user heights between approximately 4’10” and 6’5″. Wide 20-inch Schwalbe Big Apple tires soften rough pavement and enhance stability, while Magura hydraulic disc brakes handle braking with consistent control, even in wet conditions. For daily commuting, the Vektron includes a rear rack rated for roughly 60 lb of cargo, full-coverage fenders, integrated lighting, and compatibility with additional front-mounted accessories. These practical features allow it to function as a full-fledged urban transporter capable of replacing short car trips and handling mixed-mode travel. The P5i model comes at a price of $4,099, and the P10 variant costs $3,699 with shipping in North America commencing from December 2025.

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For years, electric mobility has been shaped by predictable patterns: bigger batteries, denser charging networks, and efficiency improvements that feel more evolutionary than revolutionary. Yet the dependency remains the same: riders still need plugs, stations, and the infrastructure that powers their daily movement. In the middle of this familiar landscape arrives a concept that doesn’t try to optimize the system but instead questions why the system needs to exist at all. The SOLARIS Self-Charging Solar Motorcycle by MASK Architects challenges the core assumptions of electric mobility with a vehicle that produces its own energy and redefines the relationship between rider, machine, and environment.

Developed by Öznur Pınar Cer and Danilo Petta, the SOLARIS approaches mobility as something closer to a self-sustaining organism than a machine waiting to be recharged. It operates entirely on power it generates itself, eliminating reliance on fuel stations, external charging points, or electrical grids. This shift reframes freedom for riders, offering movement that isn’t conditioned by access to infrastructure or energy markets. It introduces a future where independence is built into the vehicle, pushing the concept of autonomy far beyond driving modes or connected features.

Designer: MASK Architects

The technology that enables this transformation begins with next-generation photovoltaic cells integrated into the motorcycle’s structure. These high-efficiency solar elements convert light into energy throughout the day, ensuring the system remains active under varying conditions. A defining feature of the SOLARIS is its deployable charging mechanism, which expands into a protective wing when the motorcycle is parked. This design increases the solar capture area by up to 150 percent, allowing the battery to be replenished whether the vehicle is in motion or stationary. The result is a power source that continuously supports itself, removing the downtime associated with conventional charging and allowing the vehicle to remain ready for use without external input.

Visual identity plays an equally important role in its appeal. The deployable wing draws inspiration from the structure of a dragonfly’s wing, merging natural efficiency with a mechanical aesthetic. This biomimetic approach gives the motorcycle a distinctive presence while reinforcing its connection to the environment it relies on for power. The blend of organic influence and engineered precision creates a form that communicates both purpose and innovation, capturing the attention of users who value sustainability and future-focused design.

The potential impact of a self-charging motorcycle extends beyond individual riders. Without dependence on fuel or electricity networks, the concept becomes a practical solution for remote regions, developing communities, and delicate natural environments where infrastructure is limited or intentionally preserved. For logistics operators, tour providers, and municipal programs, the removal of energy costs and reduced mechanical complexity offers clear economic advantages and faster returns compared to traditional electric models.

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Rivian didn’t simply add another e-bike to the market. Through their new ALSO spinoff, they applied automotive-grade engineering to reimagine what two-wheeled transportation could become when stripped of mechanical constraints. The TM-B e-bike represents a fundamental shift in how we think about pedal-powered vehicles, replacing century-old drivetrain conventions with a software-defined riding experience.

Designer: Rivian

What emerges is a platform for modular micromobility that prioritizes adaptability over specialization. The design philosophy centers on one radical premise: remove the mechanical connection between pedaling and propulsion, then rebuild the entire vehicle around what becomes possible.

Proportions Freed from Mechanical Constraint

Traditional bicycle design bows to the demands of mechanical drivetrains. Chains dictate frame geometry. Derailleurs determine clearances. Gear ratios constrain wheel sizing. The TM-B dismisses these limitations entirely.

The pedal-by-wire system, which Rivian calls DreamRide, severs the physical link between your legs and the wheels. When you pedal, you’re powering a generator. That energy charges the battery, which then drives a motor at the rear wheel. The implications for design freedom are profound.

Frame tubes can be sized for structural efficiency rather than mechanical routing. Standover height becomes a pure ergonomic decision. Wheel placement optimizes handling instead of accommodating chain length. The entire architecture flows from rider needs rather than mechanical requirements.

Full suspension with 120mm travel front and rear creates spatial generosity in how the bike absorbs terrain. Those gold-anodized stanchions aren’t just premium visual cues, they signal a riding experience tuned for urban chaos and trail exploration equally.

Modular Surfaces: One Frame, Multiple Identities

The top frame isn’t fixed structure but rather a design canvas that transforms the vehicle’s purpose in seconds. This modularity enables three distinct configurations without tools or complex adjustment procedures.

Swap in a solo seat configuration, and the TM-B becomes a personal urban runner with dual water bottle mounts. The proportions read athletic, lean, focused. Slide in the bench seat instead, and suddenly spatial relationships shift. The bike lengthens visually. Room for a passenger or substantial cargo alters how you perceive the vehicle’s stance and capability.

Mount the utility cargo rack, and form follows function most overtly. That 77-pound capacity reshapes what this platform enables: grocery runs, equipment transport, daily errands that traditionally demanded four wheels. The transformations require no tools. Seconds to swap. The design intelligence lies in creating attachment points that disappear when not in use while providing industrial-grade strength when loaded.

Each configuration tells a different spatial story while maintaining design coherence. The frame proportions accommodate all three personalities without compromise.

Material Reduction Through Digital Shifting

Eliminating the mechanical drivetrain removes visual and tactile complexity from the entire right side of the bike. This creates unprecedented surface cleanliness that most e-bikes can’t achieve because they still rely on traditional bicycle components.

No derailleur hanging vulnerably from the dropout. No cassette stack creating width at the rear wheel. No chain requiring guards, maintenance, or lubricant. The Gates carbon belt drive (on the pedal input side) delivers power silently and permanently to the generator, not to the wheel directly. It’s designed to outlast the bike itself with zero maintenance intervals.

This material reduction extends to the cockpit. Traditional bikes clutter the handlebars with shifter pods, brake levers, and sometimes throttle controls. The TM-B consolidates everything through a central touchscreen that floats between the grips. Gear selection happens through software, not mechanical clicking. Ten levels of pedal assist adjust seamlessly. Sport, Trail, All Purpose, and Conserve modes reshape the riding character without adding physical controls.

The visual result is clean surfaces throughout. The bike reads as intentionally minimal rather than stripped down, because the design removed complexity rather than hiding it.

Battery Architecture as Design Element

Most e-bikes conceal batteries within frame tubes, prioritizing invisibility over accessibility. The TM-B makes power storage a designed interaction.

Two removable battery options (538Wh and 808Wh) twist free without tools. The larger capacity delivers 100-mile range, extraordinary for a vehicle this size. But range becomes secondary to the design thinking behind making batteries user-facing rather than integrated.

USB-C charging at up to 240W means these packs double as portable power banks. The batteries become part of your broader electronic ecosystem rather than single-purpose components. Pull a battery, charge your laptop at a coffee shop, return it to the bike. The design acknowledges that modern urban life revolves around managing multiple devices, not just transportation.

An e-ink display on each battery provides status without requiring phone connectivity, giving you physical feedback and immediate information. This creates designed confidence where you know exactly how much range remains before needing to swap or charge.

Lighting Rituals: Biomotion Safety

Integrated lighting typically means front and rear LEDs that meet minimum legal requirements. The TM-B’s lighting philosophy comes from automotive safety research.

Biomotion lighting highlights the rider’s body movement (head, arms, legs) rather than just illuminating the bike’s extremities. Studies show that drivers recognize moving human forms faster than static vehicle shapes, especially in peripheral vision. The lighting system transforms the rider into a more recognizable threat that drivers process earlier.

This isn’t decorative accent lighting but rather lighting as designed protective intervention. It borrows from decades of automotive human factors research and applies it to two-wheeled vulnerability.

Security Through Remote Architecture

Physical locks represent designed failure. Cable locks cut easily. U-locks require carrying bulk. Frame locks add weight. The TM-B makes theft functionally pointless through software architecture.

When you walk away, the bike automatically locks the battery, wheels, and frame. Not physically, but electronically. Attempt to ride a locked TM-B and nothing responds. The motor won’t engage. The battery won’t discharge. The entire vehicle becomes an expensive sculpture.

Remote bricking takes this further. Report a bike stolen, and ALSO can disable it remotely. The bike becomes worthless to a thief: not resellable, not rideable, not even useful for parts. Security becomes invisible, permanent, and comprehensive without adding physical bulk or weight.

Regenerative Braking as Range Extension

Hydraulic disc brakes handle primary stopping. But regenerative braking captures energy during deceleration and feeds it back to the battery.

The design outcome: up to 25% range extension from energy that typically dissipates as heat. It’s not dramatic enough to feel like engine braking in an EV car. It’s subtle, seamless, almost unnoticeable, which represents successful design integration rather than engineered compromise.

The system demonstrates how automotive EV thinking translates to micromobility. Every descent, every slow-down, every controlled deceleration becomes an opportunity to extend range without conscious rider input.

Manufactured Variants as Design Personas

Three trim levels don’t just offer different equipment but represent distinct design philosophies about what this platform should express.

The Launch Edition ($4,500, spring 2026) introduces the concept with unique blue, purple, and other launch finishes that communicate newness and differentiation. It’s ALSO announcing they’ve arrived with something visually distinct.

The Performance trim (same price, summer 2026) adds air suspension and higher output motor specs. Design shifts from introduction to capability. This version targets riders who prioritize dynamic range over value positioning.

The Base model (under $4,000, late 2026) strips back to essentials with 60-mile battery and simplified spec. The design message becomes accessibility: getting this platform’s core benefits to wider audiences without the premium finish work.

Each trim tells a clear story about who this bike serves and why. The pricing strategy keeps Performance and Launch identical, making the choice about timing and aesthetics rather than value hierarchy.

The Quad Evolution: Four-Wheeled Platform Thinking

ALSO’s roadmap extends beyond two wheels to pedal-assisted quads designed for cargo delivery.

The TM-Q vehicles represent the same core philosophy applied to different constraints. Remove mechanical drivetrain limitations. Build software-defined platforms. Enable modular transformation. Optimize for bike lane operation rather than automotive infrastructure.

The design thread connecting the TM-B and TM-Q products is platform thinking: creating foundational architecture that supports multiple form factors rather than designing discrete vehicles. It’s how automotive manufacturers approach product development, now applied to micromobility at urban scale.

Form as Manifestation of Vertically Integrated Engineering

The TM-B doesn’t source components from Shimano, Bosch, or other e-bike suppliers. Rivian developed the battery, motor, electronics, and software in-house. This vertical integration enables design decisions impossible with off-the-shelf components. Where most e-bikes still rely on partial automotive supplier components, Rivian’s approach is pure ground-up integration applying full automotive engineering rigor to two-wheeled transport.

The pedal-by-wire system exists because Rivian controlled the entire drivetrain stack. The security architecture works because they own the software. The battery packaging succeeds because they designed the cells and the enclosures simultaneously.

What you see in the TM-B’s form is the physical manifestation of engineering control. Proportion and surface decisions made possible only when every component answers to a single design vision rather than marketplace constraints.

Over-the-air updates will refine this bike’s behavior throughout its life. The riding characteristics you experience at delivery represent a starting point, not a fixed state. Software-defined vehicles evolve. The TM-B’s design accommodates continuous improvement rather than planned obsolescence. Service and repairs happen at Rivian’s automotive service centers, not traditional bike shops, treating the TM-B as an extension of their vehicle ecosystem.

Why This Matters for Design

The ALSO TM-B demonstrates what becomes possible when automotive engineering rigor meets micromobility scale. It’s not about making bikes more expensive or complex but about removing century-old mechanical constraints and rebuilding around what riders actually need.

Modular transformation without tools. Batteries as portable power rather than hidden components. Security through software instead of physical locks. Drivetrain without mechanical compromise. Lighting that makes riders more visible through human factors research rather than brighter bulbs.

Rivian took their EV platform thinking (vertical integration, software-defined experiences, continuous improvement through updates) and scaled it to two wheels. The result challenges what we accept as inevitable in bicycle design.

The TM-B isn’t trying to be a better traditional bike. It’s showing what happens when you throw out the script entirely and rebuild from first principles. That’s what makes it worth studying, regardless of whether you ever plan to buy one.

The post Design Philosophy: When Automotive Thinking Meets Micromobility first appeared on Yanko Design.