Lectric Ebikes has long set the standard for other companies to follow in the budget-friendly electric bike space, continually releasing new models that deliver never-before-seen value. A new cargo electric bike with more features? They did it. A new off-roader with better components? They did it too. But what about the company’s best-selling model, the Lectric XP 3.0 fat-tire folding electric bike? An update is due and here’s what you can expect.

Believe it or not, it’s over two years since the launch of the Lectric XP 3.0 in early November 2022. This model has since dominated the industry, providing cyclists with budget less than $1,000 better value than ever as it topped the list of best-selling electric bikes in the United States.

With speeds of 28 mph (45 km/h), hydraulic disc brakes, suspension, an integrated rear rack, heavy-duty cargo/passenger capacities and multiple battery sizes, it has become the go to the $999 electric bike for thousands of new runners every month. It’s even one of my personal favorites. I put my family members on XP 3.0, I bought several XP 3.0s to donate to the most disadvantaged, and this is the model I chose when I went undercover as a food delivery boy to see the world through the eyes of e-bike couriers.

But nothing lasts forever, and two years is a long time in the e-bike industry. We don’t yet know exactly when a Lectric XP 4.0 will replace the current best-selling electric bike model in the United States, but it seems that the designers at Lectric in Phoenix have been working on ideas for some time now. And I would bet dollars to donuts that these are some of those ideas.

Component quality improvements

With each new launch this year, we’ve seen Lectric eBikes increase its purchasing power by offering us higher quality components than we deserve at these price points. THE XPeak regularly gets strangely high-level forks. THE Electric One Received a drivetrain that probably cost as much as the entire bike if you try to buy it at retail. And the Lectric XP Lite 2.0 offers a Gates belt drive for under $900. This is all nonsense, or at least it was until Lectric started waving its wallet around the offices of high-end component makers who aren’t used to seeing customers in this affordable price range.

This means that the Lectric XP 4.0 will likely enjoy the same purchasing power. I can foresee major upgrades including a premium suspension fork, better hydraulic disc brakes and probably even a torque sensor for improved pedaling assistance. I don’t imagine the derailleur will make a huge jump in quality (maybe just an 8-speed Shimano Tourney?), but a color display is probably in the cards, as are better bolt-on grips and other performance improvements. comfort. We might even see better suspension seatposts and tires.

But for the love of all things holy in this world, if these Utopia Rd do-gooders even think about touching that half-turn accelerator on the right side, then by Zeus’s beard we will have words…

More power?

There’s a real chance the XP 4.0 will be more powerful, especially since Lectric has become very fond of its M24 electric motor, which has graced models like the XPeak 2.0 and XPedition 2.0. This 750W motor produces just over 1,300W of real-world electrical power, thanks in large part to Lectric’s help in using higher-current electronic speed controllers than most of its competitors.

In fact, the Lectric XP 3.0 is probably the most powerful “500W” e-bike on the market today, but that doesn’t mean it’ll always stay in the five hundred club.

An increase in power is not a given and Lectric can always reserve this more powerful engine for its more high-end models. After all, they can’t offer us all the good things at such a low price. Or can they?

No price change

Speaking of the price change, I find it incredibly hard to believe that the XP 4.0 would launch at anything other than US$999. Lectric has only changed the price of this model once, dropping it from the original $899 for the XP 1.0 to $999 for the XP 2.0. Since then, they have avoided price increases on the XP range.

Levi Conlow, co-founder and CEO of Lectric, recently explained at the Micromobility America 2024 conference that whenever the company’s increasing efficiency results in margins that are “too high” (a concept foreign to most brands) , either they lower the price or they launch a new version. bike with more features. And that’s probably exactly what 4.0 will be – another $999 electric bikebut this time with even more features.

Design and build

I don’t expect that we will see huge design changes in the structure of the bike. Of course there will be a new framework. But I expect the company to stick with the same square tube structure it has used since launching the brand’s first XP bike in late 2019. They even use it on their XPedition cargo bike although there is no real reason for this (the batteries are not housed inside the frame) other than design continuity with the Lite, XP and XP Trike ranges.

What we are it is likely that the design department will see minor updates to improve strength and robustness. Lectric has invested more in third-party certifications, including framing testing and electronic certifications like UL compliance. This should continue with the XP 4.0, meaning we could see improved certification indicating even more confidence in the bike’s ability to carry cargo and passengers.

The color palette is unlikely to change much. Black and white has been the XP’s MO for years now, and even that is an improvement over the days when they were only available in white. We’ve of course seen Lectric blue color accents on most of the brand’s models, and it’s unlikely that the XP 4.0 will be any different in this regard. But expect this to look more like the color swatch design of the new XPedition 2.0, not a drastic color change.

Sophisticated features?

This one is a bit of a wild card, and I don’t expect Lectric to go too crazy with fancy features. I don’t think we’ll have crazy phone apps or wireless charging via the kickstand anytime soon. But we could well see the inclusion of value-added features such as anti-theft tracking.

This could be achieved quite easily through the use of existing technologies such as the Apple FindMy network – something Lectric’s competitor Velotric beautifully exploited. Such a feature would likely involve little cost, but could prove to be of great value. In fact, I recently tried to plant this exact bug in the ear of Lectric co-founder Robby Deziel. Robby has been hard at work designing these e-bikes since 2019, when he personally helped me with the wiring of one of the first Lectric XPs ever. So let’s see if he listens to the idea of ​​the integrated tracker.

When is Lectric XP 4.0 coming?

I’m proud to have a little crystal ball for the e-bike industry, but even I don’t know when Lectric plans to release the XP 4.0. From all I can gather, it’s not imminent.

I may have teased you with all the cool things Lectric could do on XP 4.0, but I don’t think we’ll see one of these updates anytime Soon.

Suffice it to say, if you’re itching to get in on the XP fun and are somehow one of the few Americans who don’t have an XP 3.0 yet, this is still an e-bike that kill. an incredible price of $999. One day, XP 4.0 will probably make us “ooh” and “ahh” again, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards yet.