Rivian Spinoff is also unveiling a high-end modular e-bike for $4,500

Several years ago, when a team of skunkworks engineers inside Rivian set out to develop a compact electric vehicle, one question loomed large: “What are we building in-house?” “Also,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said in an interview recounting the early days of the company, which spun off from Rivian earlier this year.

“We realized the only way to do it well was to build everything,” said Scarring, an ALSO board member.

The result, unveiled Wednesday at an event in Auckland, is a pedal-assisted electric bike called the TM-B that’s more than just a bike, according to Scaringe and also president Chris Yu. “This is a whole platform of products that we’re going to build in the small space,” Scaring said. And the intimidation was no joke. During Wednesday’s event, two quadcopters were also unveiled, one of which will be supplied to Amazon.

At a fleeting glance, this “more than just a bike” looks like a bike, albeit one sleekly designed and with a few features hidden from view. But Yu emphasizes that what lies beneath the surface is what makes the TM-B special and compelling enough to break into the crowded e-bike market.

The TM-B will come in several models, including the Launch Edition, Performance Editions and Base Editions.

The Launch Edition has identical specs to the Performance model, including a 100-mile battery range, 10 levels of assistance, air shocks and air fork suspension, and two riding modes, including a ‘Sport’ mode that pushes the rider down the road. The $4,500 Launch Edition comes with special “launch” colors of purple and blue and will go on sale this spring.

The performance model, which also retails for $4,500, is expected to hit the market in the first half of 2026. The base version, which has a battery range of up to 60 miles, five assist levels, an air shock and coil-over suspension, and one standard driving mode, is expected to cost less than $4,000 when it hits the market in the second half of next year, according to Yu.

All bikes are equipped with front and rear LED lighting with built-in turn signals and have a top speed of 20 mph. The Biomotion design illuminates the rider’s legs as they pedal on the TM-B, which has 24-inch wheels. The TM-B can also be equipped with all-terrain tires, pedals, and a road riding mode that gives riders more manual control during the ride.

The battery is removable and comes with up to 240W USB-C fast charging that allows users to power up devices.

There is an integrated safety feature to keep the battery and bike safe as well. The safety system engages as soon as the rider steps away from the bike and automatically locks the battery, wheels and frame. If it is tampered with, the rider will receive an alert via the “Also” app and the bike will make a loud sound.

As a side note: The rider can make this honking sound while navigating the city streets.

“You get a push notification in the unfortunate case when you start moving away because we have LTE and GPS, and we have real-time location,” Yu said on stage Wednesday. In a worst-case scenario, if the bike is physically picked up and placed in a car, the e-bike owner can disable it remotely.

“You can brick it,” Yu said. “This is key, because we own every board, every piece of software, every part of the bike, meaning that none of it is usable.”

Technology inside TM-B

Everything was developed by the Also and Rivian team, including the removable battery pack, power electronics, software, firmware, and a pedal-by-wire drive system that has no mechanical connection between the rider’s pedaling and the bike’s motion. It is worth noting that the system allows regenerative braking, which means that energy is returned to the battery.

Even the tools needed to build these items were designed here, according to CTO Jonathan Hall, who spoke to TechCrunch ahead of the event.

All models feature several distinct designs and functional features, including a central touchscreen display integrated between the handlebars. Perhaps most interesting is the modular top frame that allows the user to change from a solo, seat or assist cargo setup within just a few seconds.

The standard single seat comes with two water bottle cages. The utility setup has an integrated rear rack and one water bottle cage holder and can hold about 77 additional pounds of cargo. A third seat option is also offered. All of these can be replaced in a few seconds and without tools.

It is worth noting that the program for each setting is tailored to the user and synchronized with the central touch screen.

As at Rivian, software is also a central figure in its electric bike and will continue to be used to roll out new features, Yu told TechCrunch. For example, the software is used to provide accurate navigation and estimated arrival time to the rider by tightly integrating with the movement and speed of the e-bike.

“Because we know so much about your experience, we know what assistance level you’re at, we know what ride load you’re in, we know the average speed you were going — we can give you a really accurate ETA,” Yu said while demonstrating the TM-B on stage. “It sounds simple, but you’re using it as a way to get somewhere. It’s kind of important to know when you’re going to get there.”

The helmet

The company has also developed an indoor helmet called the Alpha Wave Helmet that uses newly developed technology to improve rotational impact protection and a redesigned strap so the user can tighten it — without dripping — with one hand.

The helmet has many tech features that go beyond protecting your brain, including built-in lights and a sound system with four wind-shielded speakers and two noise-cancelling microphones. The helmet syncs with the bike’s central touchscreen “gateway” or the rider’s phone so he can listen to music, take calls and receive turn-by-turn navigation.