How Rivian Spinoff Also Is Reinventing The Electric Bike
Far too much of the conversation around where mobility is going next centers around electric cars. If you really want to slash pollution and create the safer, less congested cities of the future, electric bikes are arguably the much better bet. After all, a battery-powered car is still a car.
E-bike sales are already taking off globally. But a new startup called Also, born within Rivian, hopes to take the space the next level. The idea: Take the clean-sheet, ground-up, tech-driven approach Tesla and Rivian applied to cars, and do the same thing for smaller electric vehicles.
“In spite of the level of friction and the pain points necessary to say yes to the mode today, the adoption is that high,” Chris Yu, Also’s president, told me. “So we thought, hey, if we just created some of this Rivian magic within the category, we could really inspire widespread adoption.”
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
Also came out of stealth this year, touting some outside funding and a vague vision to revolutionize not-cars. Now, after taking its debut e-bike for a spin and sitting down with its leadership, we know a lot more about what that “magic” looks like. And I’ve got to say, I’m extremely impressed.
In more ways than I could’ve imagined, the TM-B brings the seamless, satisfying experience that Rivian and Tesla drivers know and love to a two-wheeler that costs about a tenth as much. It boasts a bevy of ingenious features and a charming infotainment system that puts some cars to shame, plus the ability to download over-the-air upgrades over time.
On top of all that, it’s a joy to ride and still costs less than some competitors. Oh, and e-bikes aren’t all that Also is cooking up; the company envisions a whole micromobility ecosystem that includes four-wheelers too.
Also TM-B: The Basics
The TM-B is the product of four years of tinkering—first within Rivian and then outside of it as a standalone company. It’s available to preorder now and goes on sale next year. There will be three flavors to choose from at launch. A $4,500 Launch Edition will be the first to hit the pavement, in spring of 2026. Next up is a Performance model, which is mechanically identical and just lacks some colorful accents.
Later on next year, a Base model with a smaller battery and a bit less power will hit the market for under $4,000. But, since this is the Rivian of e-bikes we’re talking about here, rest assured that buyers will be able to download a performance upgrade if they shell out for the larger battery pack.
The bikes will be on display at Rivian showrooms and available to order through the automaker’s Gear Shop, in addition to Also’s own website.
The bikes aren’t cheap by any stretch. But for the amount of bike you get, they seem competitive. High-end electric bikes can easily hit the $7,000-$12,000 range, and those still lack some of Also’s most thoughtful features.
What’s Special About The Also E-Bike
Also designed practically the entire TM-B from the ground up, and it shows. Not only does its unusual shape set it apart from the crowd of other e-bikes—it also introduces some striking new capabilities to the two-wheeler space.
Just like a Rivian, the bike wakes up as its owner (or, more specifically, their smartphone) approaches. There’s a circular, five-inch touchscreen mounted to the stem that’s remarkably quick to respond to swipes and taps. This delightful user interface is the portal to the bike’s drive modes and other settings, plus a media player and navigation. I’ve been in plenty of full-blown cars that struggle to offer this sort of frictionless interface.
The mapping feature even adjusts your ETA and estimated range upon arrival based on which pedal-assist setting you’re in. Also designed all the software and the electrical bits in the bike, which allows it to do exactly what it wants and more easily tweak things over time via software. For example, Yu tells me self-canceling function is coming to the Also’s turn signals soon.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
The TM-B’s hardware is equally dazzling. Perhaps the best example of that is a component Also calls its “top frame.” The component that secures the seatpost can be swapped out with the tap of a button, making the bike highly modular.
At launch, Also has a cargo rack and an extended, moped-style seat on offer, in addition to more conventional options. It all means that in just a few seconds, you can transform your TM-B into a cargo bike or a kid carrier without using any tools.
“So the kind of 10-bike conundrum, or the decision fatigue of saying, okay, which one do I need to start off with, is greatly simplified,” Yu said.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
The battery, which uses cells identical to what you’d find in a Rivian R1S or R1T, can be removed and used as a mobile battery bank. It’s fitted with USB-C ports and can charge phones or other devices at full-blown wall-outlet speeds.
“We thought, well, there’s a lot of value in all this energy capacity, and it would be really smart if we could do more than just power the e-bike,” he said.
Riding The Also E-Bike
Also says its in-house motor has more torque (180 newton-meters) than any other e-bike motor on the market. And, as a result, it also says that the 10x pedal assistance available on the Performance model beats all competitors too. (The base model only goes up to 5x, which Also still says is one more than other bikes can muster.)
I can confirm that this bike certainly hauls major ass. Naturally, I kicked it up to levels eight, nine and 10 in fairly short order after starting my test ride. And I actually found myself dialing the pedal assistance down for my leisurely jaunt around Palo Alto, where Also is based.
At one point, I pedaled up a fairly steep incline at 28 mph, the bike’s top speed, and didn’t break a sweat.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
And I didn’t find out until after my test ride that the bike uses an ingenious pedal-by-wire setup—meaning there’s no mechanical connection whatsoever between your feet and the back wheel. It’s all software and motors that translate your pedaling into forward motion. The fact that I didn’t clock this until someone told me is a strong testament to what Also has built.
This allows Also to do some interesting stuff with the way this bike rides. The bike has what feels like an automatic continuously variable gearbox; you just pedal, and the bike takes care of the rest and makes the effort manageable. There’s no need to switch gears (there actually aren’t any). But if you want that analog feeling, there is a manual mode that convincingly mimics more typical shifting.
Another sign of Rivian-like ingenuity: The motor and battery are housed in a magnesium casting that also doubles as the structural “heart” of the bike.
Also TM-B e-bike motors and battery.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
Not to mention, the Also has regenerative braking, just like you’d find in an electric car. Squeeze the brake lever about halfway, and regen kicks in. Pull it more than that, and the hydraulic disc brakes kick in. It all happens smoothly. And, thankfully for such a quick e-bike, it stops on a dime.
What’s Next For Also?
Also says it didn’t just develop a product. It developed a platform, something like the “skateboards” that EV makers use for many different models.
Up next is a quad called the TM-Q. A delivery van-style version will hit streets next year to deliver Amazon packages. And there will also be a more compact one for personal use.
More than half of vehicle trips in the U.S. are under six miles long—a distance that could easily be covered on an electric bike under the right conditions. The big question is: How do you convince more Americans to jump out of their full-size SUVs and onto electric bikes?
This shift is already happening. And I think a thoughtful, satisfying bike like the TM-B—and, hopefully, even lower-priced models down the road—can push things in the right direction.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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