VanMoof's new V e-bike is the fastest ever

anMoofVanMoof recently announced the VanMoof V, the company's first high-speed electric bike, capable of hitting a top speed of 60km/h (37mph). This is much faster than VanMoof's current e-bikes, which are capped at 25 km/h in Europe and 20 mph in the US, and are currently beyond what local laws allow.

VanMoof is launching the pedal-assisted V today, a challenge for lawmakers and city planners to rethink old rules and start putting people's needs ahead of cars.

The V's chiseled design still offers the often imitated VanMoof aesthetic, only now applied to a muscular e-bike equipped with motors in both the front and rear wheel hubs and a Hawking 700Wh battery is operated by. This allows for longer rides that are softened by oversized tires and front and rear suspension attached to a "sturdy" aluminum frame. It also gets the signature VanMoof touches like a turbo boost button, automatic shifting, and a keyless kick lock between the anti-theft and recovery technology that we used to see on the company's e-bikes.

And like VanMoof's regular commuter e-bike, there's no throttle on the pedal-assisted V, and the battery can't be removed to charge. However, it will be offered with a powerbank range extender option.

The VanMoof V will initially be sold in the Netherlands, Germany, France, UK, US and Japan for $3,498/€3,498/£3,498. It's not cheap unless you compare it to the price of a car that these sturdy electric commuter bikes can replace. It also underpins the category's beloved stromer, whose fast European e-bikes start at €4,500 and run over €10k, and offer a more sophisticated alternative to American brands like Super73, Juiced and RedPower.

We're not seeing much in the way of detailed specifications being announced today. That's because the VanMoof V is still in development, with first deliveries not planned until "the end of 2022". And in true VanMoof fashion, I'm told all the new components are being developed in-house. Still, current VanMoof owners can now line up by reserving their VanMoof V for $20/€20/£20 a pop. Reservation codes will be shared with the general public through a waiting list "from time to time".