Tiltable e-trike promises natural bike-like agility on and off road

Welp, it's news to me that e-trikes aren't as much of a niche interest as I thought. There are so many different styles to suit every rider's preference now. But this one from FlekTrike has me especially excited because of one cool trick up its sleeve.

The FlekTrike Pro is an all-terrain cargo-carrying e-trike with a 750-W rear-mounted motor and 60-Ah batteries packed into an aluminum alloy frame, and that's all well and good.

But unlike most other e-trikes – and more like two-wheeled motorcycles – you can lean this thing.

That's thanks to a lockable titling system, which lets you tip into corners with your body for a more natural and engaging ride. FlekTrike says if you've got the chops, you'll experience more responsive handling this way.

The tilt mechanism pairs with a rear differential drive system that varies the rear wheels' speeds as you turn, full hydraulic suspension, and semi-recumbent and tilt-adjustable seating to fit riders of different heights. That should help you get comfortable when you first hop on, and when you're cruising or taking on challenging trails.

Now, trikes usually offer a stable, planted ride by way of having three wheels on the ground. The Pro's got a shifter on the handlebar to switch things up: it'll unlock the tilt, so you can rotate the frame left or right to a certain degree – similar to how you'd balance a bicycle.

I haven't had a chance to try the Pro's tilting action since it's been out from earlier this year, but reviewers have described as being a lot more fun while maneuvering than a conventional trike. It might take a little getting used to, but once you've got it down, you can lean aggressively into turns and slide into drifts on this thing.

Not everyone in the market for an e-trike is looking for that, sure. But if you like three wheelers and wish they more exciting to ride, this could be worth a look. What's neat is you can always lock the tilt system for when you want the traditional trike feel, or need to ride more slowly, and unlock it when off-roading.

There's a lot more good stuff on the Pro: a spacious cargo area for groceries and luggage, a closed storage box in the frame, and up to 85 miles (137 km) of range from the dual lockable batteries.

The torque-sensing motor peaks at 1,400 W, and makes 88.5 lb.ft (120 Nm) of torque, which is good for a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). You've got a hydraulic shock in the rear, and a dual-crown fork that's adjustable for preload and compression.

The Pro rides on 20x3.3-inch dual-sport tires, with two-piston hydraulic 180-mm disc brakes providing stopping power (and a handy parking brake). The tall, swept-back handlebar is fitted with an eight-speed shifter and a full-twist throttle. An IPS display shows you your speed, battery level, assist mode, and other stats.

All that can be yours for the current discounted pre-order price of US$3,099 (down from its $3,699 MSRP), with free shipping across the continental US and a two-year warranty.

Find the FlekTrike Pro on the company's site. Orders go out October 25 onwards.

If you want to geek out on e-trike, check out these other models we've covered recently. There's one with a pedal-by-wire drive system, this trike-like EV in the works that also leans, this one with a telescoping body that extends to fit different riders, the Trike Bike Chill that's designed purely for comfort, and Sweren's weird take that has you riding almost lying down.

And of course, the tilting concept is not new to this branch of the e-mobility space – a BMW/Cube/SoFlow partnership presented a prototype at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung Mobility 2021 exhibition, which launched as the Trike Hybrid in 2023 and rolled as a flatbed version last year.