USB-C Charging Could Solve One Of The Biggest Problems With E-Bikes

Even as the laws governing e-bikes are often in flux, you can't seem to leave your home these days without immediately bumping into one on the road. While the electric bikes can be operated without their battery-powered components, pedaling one can be a touch tricky as those components tend to make them heavier than normal bikes. So, any e-bike owner or renter who wants to make the best use of one would do well to keep its battery charged and at the ready.

This can, of course, be difficult, as not every e-bike make and model uses the same charging method. In fact, many e-bike manufacturers utilize only proprietary charging methods for their devices, meaning that if you don't have the brand-approved gear on hand, you're likely to end up peddling away en route to your destination. This issue could, seemingly, be fixed by the various e-bike factions simplifying matters for consumers and adapting more evolved USB-C tech to all of their models.

USB-C has, after all, become the charging method of choice for most newer devices in the tech world. That means that most tech-savvy consumers already have some sort of USB-C charger in their possession. That fact alone would not only streamline the ability to charge an e-bike on the fly, but potentially even eliminate the need for manufacturers to include any sort of charging gear in the box at the point of purchase. To that end, a pair of e-bike makers already seem hip to that fact.  

Making e-bikes that can be charged with the same cable as your mobile device seems like a no-brainer. But only two e-bike manufacturers have adopted USB-C charging for their bikes. European e-bike maker Ampler is on that short list, with its Nova and Nova Pro models each USB-C charging ready. The other brand is Also, a relatively new faction backed by EV manufacturer Rivian.

Since Rivian is, arguably, the better known name in that lot, we'll start with its Also e-bikes, which, at present, are the only models available from the brand. That vehicle is called the TM-B, and at present the Launch Edition will set you back a cool $4,500 or more at checkout based on your selected options. If you can afford that investment, it looks to be a capable piece of battery-powered machinery, though it is, perhaps, a little clunkier in its exterior design as some other e-bikes on the market. It does, however, offer up to a 100 mile range on a full charge, though it's not slated to ship out to customers until Spring of 2026.

As for Ampler's Nova models, they are about as sleek and sexy as an e-bike owner might hope for. In fact, the handcrafted in Estonia vehicles look more like a traditional bicycle than most e-bikes, and are incredibly light in build, weighing in at just 17.4 kg (or about 38 lbs). At a cost of about $3,400, the 9-speed e-bike is also cheaper than the Rivian model, though it offers less range, topping out at up to 100 km, or roughly 62 miles.