Is it an e-bike? Is it a moped? There’s a new two-wheeler causing a stir in the EV world, and bike enthusiasts are unsure what to make of it. Most are calling it an electric motorbike, but even this doesn’t seem exactly right. Designer SOL Motors calls it a “noped,” and goes on to say that the bike will define “a new category of electric two-wheelers.”
This claim may ring true. With a maximum speed of 50mph for the higher-end model and a weight of only 120lbs, the “Pocket Rocket” is rightly described by Electrek.co as “something else entirely.”
The Pocket Rocket is the brain child of SOL Motors CEO and designer Manual Messmer, who has already taken home two prestigious awards for the remarkable design. The bike won both the German Design Award for the excellent product design in transportation category, as well as the European Product Design award for alternative fuel vehicles.
Electric two-wheelers are a popular area for design innovation, with new configurations of the traditional moped surfacing to stir things up every now and then. The Pocket Rocket has been compared by some to the American Rumble Motors design. But at 44mph to its 230lbs, the Rumble has a significantly lower power to weight ratio.
In reality, nothing in the EV world compares to the Pocket Rocket right now. To put the specs in perspective, the max speed of an e-bike is 20mph, and even the fastest mopeds won’t surpass 30mph. By contrast, the Pocket Rocket can manage speeds of 50mph, and could feasibly be ridden even on some highways. Whether or not someone would want to ride that fast on what is essentially a lightweight aluminum bicycle is a different question altogether.
Further features include a hydraulic braking system and regenerative braking, which helps expand the range of the Pocket Rocket to 30-50 miles, depending on which mode you use. The Pocket Rocket has both “sport” and “eco” settings, as well as a “wheelie” mode for when the light turns green and you want to show the Vespas who’s boss. The limited range implies that the Pocket Rocket is still best suited as an urban commuter, albeit one that can get their owners to work via the fast roads. Both of the models that have currently been unveiled sport a respectable 150N⋅m of torque.
Currently, the Pocket Rocket is still in its conceptual stage, so details on price and availability have not yet been released. Rumours from an Instagram post imply that the bike might sell for 6000 euros ($7000 USD), but no official price has been listed as of yet. Nor is there any indication of when, or if, the bike might make it to U.S. markets.
No one can deny that the bike looks striking, but it has to be said that seating one’s legs around the bulky-looking top tube may not provide optimal riding comfort. Even so, here’s the Pocket Rocket again, just because it truly is so pretty.