A year ago, when VanMoof followed its S3 e-bike up with the S5 (reviewed here), we jokily wondered what had happened to the S4. Well here it is! And it’s brought an X4 with it too.
So how do these new bikes fit in with the VanMoof S5 and the smaller, step-through A5?
“One of the hardest things in life is to make things more simple,” said VanMoof co-founder, Taco Carlier. “With the S4 and X4, we’ve mastered the art of simplification to make our e-bikes more accessible and reliable than ever."
Simplicity, accessibility and reliability are the watchwords then.
The bikes are built around the same frames previously used for the S3 and X3. The X4 has slightly smaller 24in wheels, but other than that and the frame shape, the two models are much the same.
Key features include a 478Wh battery, automatic 2-speed hub gear shifting and an integrated Gen 4 Kick Lock that secures the rear wheel with a tap.
You then get all of VanMoof’s usual anti-theft tech, including alarms and location tracking.
There’s Turbo Boost for on-demand acceleration and a built-in phone mount so that you can use the brand’s app as a dashboard.
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The bikes are available in four colours, two of which have fairly banal names (Evergreen and Sunbeam Yellow) and two of which do not (Purple Fog and Foam Green).
The key selling point is however the price. At £2,198, the S4 and X4 are a good whack cheaper than the S5 and A5, both of which cost £3,298.
The Evergreen models are available now from vanmoof.com. Purple Fog will follow in late June, Sunbeam Yellow in late July and good old Foam Green in August.
There’s still no official launch date for the VanMoof V high speed ‘hyperbike’, incidentally. Production is said to be slated for ‘late 2023’.
