Rivian’s Also apologizes for delays in shipping futuristic e-bikes

Rivian 旗下 Also 公司就未来感电动自行车发货延迟致歉

The TM-B from Rivian’s micromobility spinoff Also was supposed to reach customers by spring 2026. But after months of delays, the company is opening up about the challenges it’s facing. Rivian 旗下微出行子公司 Also 推出的 TM-B 电动自行车原定于 2026 年春季交付给客户。但在经历了数月的延迟后，该公司终于公开了其所面临的挑战。

Rivian’s futuristic e-bike is delayed, and customers are not happy. Last year, Rivian’s micromobility spinoff Also unveiled a new, software-controlled electric bike called the TM-B that immediately set the e-bike world ablaze. With USB-C chargeable battery, removable seat post, and software-controlled pedal-by-wire system, the TM-B set itself apart with a totally unique approach to electric bicycle design. It’s not an exaggeration to say that nothing else looked like this bike. Rivian 的这款未来感电动自行车延期了，客户对此感到不满。去年，Rivian 的微出行子公司 Also 发布了一款名为 TM-B 的新型软件控制电动自行车，迅速在电动自行车界引起轰动。凭借 USB-C 充电电池、可拆卸座管以及软件控制的线控踏板系统，TM-B 以其独特的电动自行车设计理念脱颖而出。毫不夸张地说，市面上没有任何其他产品看起来像它一样。

But that list of high-tech features is creating unexpected bottlenecks for Also’s product team. The company had originally said customer deliveries would start in spring 2026, and then later summer. But now, with fall approaching, the TM-B has yet to reach any customers — and several reservation holders are making their frustrations with the delays known on Reddit. 然而，这一系列高科技功能却为 Also 的产品团队带来了意想不到的瓶颈。该公司最初表示将于 2026 年春季开始交付，随后推迟至夏季。但如今秋季将至，TM-B 仍未交付给任何客户，不少预订者已在 Reddit 上表达了对延期的不满。

This past weekend, Also went the unique route of responding to those criticisms on Reddit. Saul Leiken, Also’s product manager, posted a 661-word letter apologizing to customers for the delays, attributing the hold-up to strict quality standards rather than rushing an unfinished product. 上周末，Also 采取了一种独特的方式，在 Reddit 上回应了这些批评。Also 的产品经理 Saul Leiken 发布了一封 661 字的信，向客户就延期表示歉意，并将延误归因于严格的质量标准，而非仓促推出未完成的产品。

Leiken attributes the delay to “significant supply chain challenges” as a result of the AI boom. Specifically, the company has struggled to find enough printed circuit board (PCB) and integrated circuit (IC) materials for its software-powered e-bike. In some cases, Also’s team has had to find new materials that deviate from the original design, which requires more engineering and testing work to make sure it’s the right fit. Leiken 将延误归咎于人工智能热潮导致的“重大供应链挑战”。具体而言，该公司难以为其软件驱动的电动自行车找到足够的印刷电路板 (PCB) 和集成电路 (IC) 材料。在某些情况下，Also 的团队不得不寻找偏离原始设计的新材料，这需要更多的工程和测试工作来确保其适配性。

TM-B’s battery has also presented some hurdles. The batteries, which are available in either 538Wh or 808Wh packs, are supposed to offer up 100 miles of range. But the 240W power delivery exceeds current regulatory guidelines, which is forcing Also to work with standards groups to establish “new safety and testing protocols,” Leiken says. TM-B 的电池也带来了一些障碍。这些电池提供 538Wh 或 808Wh 两种规格，理论续航里程可达 100 英里。但 Leiken 表示，其 240W 的功率输出超过了当前的监管准则，这迫使 Also 必须与标准组织合作，以建立“新的安全和测试协议”。

Lastly, Also may have bitten off more than it can chew with the DreamRide drivetrain system. It’s a pedal-by-wire system, which means there’s no mechanical connection between the pedaling and the movement of the bike. Instead, the rider pedals a generator motor on the crank, which replenishes the battery; a separate traction motor at the rear wheel is software-driven via a Gates Carbon belt drive. But the system requires “high-precision manufacturing,” Leiken admits, which has led to “a slower production ramp-up to ensure quality.” 最后，Also 在 DreamRide 传动系统上可能有些操之过急。这是一个线控踏板系统，意味着踏板与自行车运动之间没有机械连接。相反，骑行者通过踩踏曲柄上的发电机电机来为电池充电；后轮上的独立牵引电机则通过盖茨碳纤维皮带传动系统由软件驱动。但 Leiken 承认，该系统需要“高精度制造”，这导致“为了确保质量，生产爬坡速度较慢”。

Rivian’s Also set out to build one of the most high-tech, complex e-bikes ever made. So it shouldn’t necessarily come as a shock to anyone that it’s taking a while to get the manufacturing and production process just right. You could certainly argue that Rivian should have been more clear-eyed about the challenges it would likely face given the complexity of the bike. And to his credit, Leiken does admit they could have done a better job at communicating those delays to customers, and for that he apologizes. Rivian 旗下的 Also 旨在打造有史以来最高科技、最复杂的电动自行车之一。因此，制造和生产过程需要时间来磨合并不令人意外。当然，你可以认为 Rivian 在面对这款自行车的复杂性时，应该对可能面临的挑战有更清醒的认识。值得肯定的是，Leiken 确实承认他们在向客户沟通延期方面本可以做得更好，并为此表示歉意。

“With any complex and technology-laden product, we have a choice,” he said. “As we ramp production we can relax standards against an original timeline or we can hold to a high standard and face potential delays. We believe our decision to hold that standard was, and is, the right one. And, at the same time, we agree that we should have been more communicative along the way.” “对于任何复杂且充满技术含量的产品，我们都有一个选择，”他说。“在提升产能时，我们可以为了赶进度而降低标准，或者坚持高标准并面对潜在的延期。我们认为，我们坚持高标准的决定过去是，现在依然是正确的。同时，我们也同意在整个过程中，我们本应进行更好的沟通。”