There are plenty of ways to make an electric motorcycle stand out, but putting a giant hole through the middle of it is certainly one of the more effective options.
German electric motorcycle startup NOVUS has announced a new funding round worth “double-digit millions of dollars,” money that will help fund the company’s expansion into the US in 2027 as well as further European growth. The company says its NOVUS One is already in series production, with European deliveries beginning earlier this year.
It’s an important update from a company we first covered so long ago that mass mask-wearing was still seen as a foreign concept.
The NOVUS One is one of the more unusual-looking electric motorcycles on the road, largely thanks to its large carbon fiber monocoque frame. The self-supporting structure wraps around a cavernous opening where you’d normally expect to find much of a motorcycle’s bodywork.
That striking design comes from NOVUS founder René Renger, a former Volkswagen lead designer who worked on vehicles including the Golf and ID. Buzz. NOVUS says design, engineering, and final assembly are all performed in Germany, with most components sourced from Europe.
Despite the minimalist appearance, there’s some serious performance hiding in that skinny package.
The NOVUS One weighs just 121 kg (267 lb), considerably lighter than many conventional motorcycles. Its hub-mounted drivetrain produces up to 25 kW (33 hp) of peak power and a claimed 430 Nm of torque in its highest-performance mode.
That’s enough for 0-50 km/h (31 mph) acceleration in under two seconds and a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph).
The 6.2 kWh battery is rated for up to 150 km (93 miles) of range at lower city speeds, while a 0-80% charge takes a claimed 90 minutes. There are three riding modes, smartphone integration, keyless operation, and over-the-air updates.
Interestingly, NOVUS can also configure the same hardware through software for two different vehicle classes.
The full-power L3e version reaches 130 km/h, while an L1e version is limited to 45 km/h (28 mph), effectively turning the same exotic-looking machine into a scooter-class vehicle. Licensing requirements vary by market.
NOVUS calls the One a “Lightbike,” positioning it somewhere between a scooter and a motorcycle.
The company’s pitch is that the low weight, lack of clutch or gears, and simple electric drivetrain can make two-wheeled transportation approachable even for people who don’t consider themselves motorcyclists.
There is one rather large catch: price.
The NOVUS One Founders Edition starts at €21,300 before tax. That’s a lot of money for an urban electric motorcycle, even one that looks like someone accidentally deleted the middle third of the bike in Photoshop, and a bares an uncomfortably close passing resemblance to the ill-fated Metacycle.
NOVUS says a second, higher-volume model called the NOVUS Two is already in development, with production planned for late 2027 at a “significantly lower” entry price.
And that may ultimately be the more important machine. Because the NOVUS One certainly proves that an electric motorcycle can turn heads. Now NOVUS has to prove it can turn that attention into riders.
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