Rivian’s futuristic e-bike is delayed, and customers are not happy.
Last year, Rivian’s micromobility spinoff Also unveiled a new, software-controlled electric bike called the TM-B that immediately set the e-bike world ablaze. With USB-C chargeable battery, removable seat post, and software-controlled pedal-by-wire system, the TM-B set itself apart with a totally unique approach to electric bicycle design. It’s not an exaggeration to say that nothing else looked like this bike.
But that list of high-tech features is creating unexpected bottlenecks for Also’s product team. The company had originally said customer deliveries would start in spring 2026, and then later summer. But now, with fall approaching, the TM-B has yet to reach any customers — and several reservation holders are making their frustrations with the delays known on Reddit.
This past weekend, Also went the unique route of responding to those criticisms on Reddit. Saul Leiken, Also’s product manager, posted a 661-word letter apologizing to customers for the delays, attributing the hold-up to strict quality standards rather than rushing an unfinished product.
Leiken attributes the delay to “significant supply chain challenges” as a result of the AI boom. Specifically, the company has struggled to find enough printed circuit board (PCB) and integrated circuit (IC) materials for its software-powered e-bike. In some cases, Also’s team has had to find new materials that deviate from the original design, which requires more engineering and testing work to make sure its the right fit.
TM-B’s battery has also presented some hurdles. The batteries, which are available in either 538Wh or 808Wh packs, are supposed to offer up 100 miles of range. But the 240W power delivery exceeds current regulatory guidelines, which is forcing Also to work with standards groups to establish “new safety and testing protocols,” Leiken says.
Lastly, Also may have bitten off more than it can chew with the DreamRide drivetrain system. It’s a pedal-by-wire system, which means there’s no mechanical connection between the pedaling and the movement of the bike. Instead, the rider pedals a generator motor on the crank, which replenishes the battery; a separate traction motor at the rear wheel is software-driven via a Gates Carbon belt drive. But the system requires “high-precision manufacturing,” Leiken admits, which has led to “a slower production ramp-up to ensure quality.”
Rivian’s Also set out to build one of the most high-tech, complex e-bikes ever made. So it shouldn’t necessarily come as a shock to anyone that it’s taking a while to get the manufacturing and production process just right. You could certainly argue that Rivian should have been more clear-eyed about the challenges it would likely face given the complexity of the bike. And to his credit, Leiken does admit they could have done a better job at communicating those delays to customers, and for that he apologizes.
“With any complex and technology-laden product, we have a choice,” he said. “As we ramp production we can relax standards against an original timeline or we can hold to a high standard and face potential delays. We believe our decision to hold that standard was, and is, the right one. And, at the same time, we agree that we should have been more communicative along the way.”
