The biggest e-bike stories of 2025

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories of 2025 from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes California's new e-bike regulations and updated laws, Bafang's automatic-shifting hub motor, e-bike brand shutdowns, China opting for lead-acid over lithium batteries, Honda's upcoming low-cost electric motorcycle, and more. The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in. After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps: Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming. Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today: Starting today, California is coming for your e-bike throttles Bafang’s new automatic shifting hub motor could change urban e-biking Popular high-power electric bike brand announces shutdown If you think electric bikes are bad, there’s a much bigger menace hitting our roads China urges citizens to trade in ‘old lithium e-bikes’ for newer lead acid electric bikes Honda’s new super low-cost electric motorcycle could come at the perfect time ‘Not safe or legal’ – Cops continue crackdown on Sur Ron style electric bikes This bike has 2 huge batteries, 2 big motors and might be perfect for the snow Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET): https://www.youtube.com/live/aDbV1uPye90