In an end-of-the-year miracle to close out 2024, the often-lauded ONYX moped maker has announced its return after shutting down operations earlier this year. The company’s return kicks off with the release of 100 limited edition electric mopeds.
ONYX Motorbikes first hit the scene in 2018, with founder and moped-builder Tim Seward launching the company to bring his custom designs for electric mopeds to life. The company grew its US manufacturing base and launched multiple models, but that growth came at a cost.
After Seward sold the company in 2019 to his friend James Khatiblou, who became the new CEO, Khatiblou led ONYX through several rollercoaster years of both boom and bust. But the company’s US-based manufacturing proved expensive, and bringing on new investors resulted in misgivings and stress that reportedly eroded Khatiblou’s health, culminating in the 37-year-old’s sudden death from a pulmonary embolism in late 2023.
A continuing battle ensued between the company’s creditors and investors over ownership of ONYX’s assets, leading to the brand effectively closing operations earlier this year. But that wasn’t going to be the last chapter in ONYX’s story, at least not if the brand’s original founder, Tim Seward, had anything to say about it. Now, Seward is announcing a relaunch for ONYX.
The launch kicked off last week with the listing off 100 ONYX RCR LTD bikes, a limited edition version of the brand’s iconic electric moped. “With only 100 units of the ONYX RCR LTD available, each bike comes with an upgraded 45ah battery and is uniquely numbered with a holographic authenticity sticker, making it a true collector’s item for those who crave both performance and style,” explained the company. Standard production RCRs are expected to follow the limited edition bikes this coming Spring.
The US $4,299 ONYX RCR LTD is built on a steel chassis with a locking wooden battery cover and a set of both brushed aluminum and holographic black side panels. Each moped is spec’d with holographic stickers identifying its uniquely numbered status as part of the 100 LTD bikes.
The bike comes with a rear hub motor boasting over 15 kW of peak rated power and 7.2 kW of nominal power, or enough to blast it up to 30 mph (48 km/h) in just four seconds and to reach a top speed of 55+ mph (88+ km/h) in Sport Mode. Two other modes of Eco and Normal have lower speed limits of 20 mph (32 km/h) and 40 mph (64 km/h), respectively.
The RCR LTD is powered by a 3,240 Wh battery with a Bluetooth-enabled BMS allowing for remote monitoring from the rider’s smartphone.
The battery offers a range of up to 120 miles (200 km) in Eco mode, though riders should expect a mere fraction of that when cruising around at top speed.
And of course, in true ONYX fashion, the RCR LTD still includes functional pedals, though pedaling a 150+ lb bike isn’t for the faint of heart. With the Eco mode supposedly limiting the motor’s power to 750W along with the electronically capped 20 mph speed limiter, the pedals seem like a Hail Mary to keep this thing classified as a Class 2 electric bicycle in its lowest power mode. Whether or not that flies likely depends on your local regulations, but much of ONYX’s marketing refers to “off-road” performance, hinting at the fact that this is far outside the realm of a typical electric bike. Past ONYX RCRs have included a VIN plate in the hopes that riders could register and tag their moped as a motorcycle, though several of the bike’s components don’t appear to meet DOT regulations for that category. Suffice it to say that the RCR remains something of a line straddler in the two-wheeler world, maintaining classic moped requirements (namely a motor and pedals) yet existing in a regulatory grey area that ebbs and flows depending on each state’s local laws.
Electrek’s Take
This is certainly exciting news. I believe I was one of the first to cover ONYX’s Kickstarter back in 2018, spreading news on the garage startup turned moped manufacturer and helping propel it to a world stage, and it has been fascinating to watch the company grow throughout the years.
My first review of the bike got over a half million views and helped cement for me just how much fun electric mopeds like these can be.
But watching ONYX’s slow tailspin and the tragic death of the company’s CEO, followed by a year of legal battles, has been a heartbreaking process for any fan of the company. So the brand’s relaunch is welcome news.
That being said, there are still unfinished legal battles swirling in the background as former ONYX creditors continue to duke it out, and we’re still waiting to hear how that could impact the brand’s future. But fingers are crossed that ONYX will stick to the landing and roll back out with a new wave of momentum and awesome electric mopeds.