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Rivian spinoff Also wants to reinvent the wheel — but first, it has to ship

By · Via The Verge · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Also has commenced deliveries of its Launch Edition TM-B modular e-bikes after overcoming severe supply chain bottlenecks for critical compute and circuit board components. The vehicle features a series hybrid pedal-by-wire system, integrated software, and a swappable top frame designed entirely in-house. While early adopters on Reddit criticized missed spring timelines and reported minor initial software glitches, the startup is now ramping factory volume. Looking ahead, the company plans to broaden its portfolio with standard and performance e-bike variants alongside the TM-Q commercial delivery vehicle.

Key points

  • In-house component engineering forced the startup to requalify thermal parts, significant…: In-house component engineering forced the startup to requalify thermal parts, significantly delaying initial customer fulfillment schedules.
  • Customer deliveries are accelerating despite early user complaints regarding missed deliv…: Customer deliveries are accelerating despite early user complaints regarding missed delivery windows and initial software glitches.
  • The company is preparing to expand beyond consumer e-bikes into commercial fleet logistic…: The company is preparing to expand beyond consumer e-bikes into commercial fleet logistics with its TM-Q four-wheeler.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

When Rivian quietly spun off its micromobility brand, Also, a lot of observers wondered if the luxury EV maker had bitten off more than it can chew. Chris Yu insists that’s not the case.

Rivian spinoff Also wants to reinvent the wheel — but first, it has to ship

Also President Chris Yu opens up about surviving the AI server component crunch, rewriting UL battery standards, and why the company’s modular e-bike is just the first step.

Rivian spinoff Also wants to reinvent the wheel — but first, it has to ship

Also President Chris Yu opens up about surviving the AI server component crunch, rewriting UL battery standards, and why the company’s modular e-bike is just the first step.

Yu, a Stanford aeronautics PhD and former CTO at Specialized, runs the startup as an independent business that counts Rivian as a minority shareholder. Under his lead, Also rolled out the TM-B — a quirky, modular e-bike with a raft of unique features, including a swappable top frame, USB-C chargeable battery, a built-in screen, a series hybrid pedal-by-wire system, and…

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