This Dutch company proves ebikes can be made locally
Mokumono lead the way in bringing ebike manufacturing back to the Netherlands
It’s all in the frame
The company’s secret sauce is its locally made frame. It’s a great example of materials innovation. Tom explains: “it’s constructed from two mirrored sheets of aluminum that are pressed into shape and welded together by a laser-wielding robot. This creates a strong and lightweight frame that is different from the typical tubular offerings.”
The tech is traditionally used to create car doors and was developed with tech production partner Witte van Moort in Vriezenveen.
Creating a product locally is highly efficient for ease of prototyping and overseeing assembly. Mokumono also gets green points for sourcing their other parts from throughout Europe, reducingtheir transport-relatedcarbon footprint.
A solution to supply chain woes
Mokumono has facilitated frames for three bike companies which helps fund their own efforts, although Tom admits “we keep the specifics of the aluminum close to our chest.”
Crowdfunding that’s actually not a scam
I’ve written in the IoT space for over a decade. B2C is a tough space for young companies to raise money to create hardware products. Crowdfunding doesn’t guarantee success.
Heck, I evenworked for a companythat desperately tried to make stuff happen — and failed. Then there’s the scams. I’m looking at you,iFindandSkully. And that’s before I even get to the shit show that isElio Motors– hope you didn’t lose your money there. (If you’re cynical like me, I recommend you take a look atr/shittykickstartersfor some schadenfreude.)
Tom told me there are even stories of companies buying bikes on Alibaba and slapping a label on them to crowdfund as their own creation. Dodgy fuckers.
But Mokumono stands out from the crowd by selling some seriously nice bikes. I’m too short to ride one (FML), but they come in three sizes. The Delta S is a single gear bike with a Gates Carbon Belt Drive System, which removes the need for maintenance or grease and is impossible to derail. It offers a battery range of 60 kilometers. A full charge takes two hours. The Delta C is a couple of kilos lighter and enables riders to sit semi-upright.
Supply chain reckonings are facilitating a green economy for ebike manufacturers
For Tom, one of the biggest problems facingthe ebike industryis how quickly they become obsolete.“Theebike lifespan is actually going backward compared to traditional bikes. You can still ride a normal bike from 60 years ago with some repairs,”
Tom explains:
Funding is booming and there’s space for all
We spoke at length about the ebike funding landscape (I’ve two interviews with investors coming), and Tom had a lot of thoughts:
What advice would you have for someone wanting to start their own ebike company?
As the industry’s underdogs, I wanted to hear what tips Tom would have for others wishing to enter the industry. He explained:
Mokumono’s currently developing a new bike from the ground up launched in April 2022 with a removable battery and a lot more European-made parts. Watch this space for more news.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart ci(show all)Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart cities, and the future of alternative energy sources like electric batteries, solar, and hydrogen.
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