What changed
Rivian micromobility spinoff Also has delayed customer deliveries of its TM-B e-bike beyond its original spring 2026 target and later summer expectation. No bikes had reached customers as fall approached. Product manager Saul Leiken apologized, citing shortages of printed circuit-board and integrated-circuit materials, added validation for substitute parts, battery safety work, and a slower precision-manufacturing ramp. The Verge
The TM-B uses Also’s pedal-by-wire DreamRide system: a crank generator motor, software-controlled rear traction motor and Gates Carbon belt drive. Its 538Wh and 808Wh battery options are intended to provide up to 100 miles of range, but Also says the bike’s 240W power delivery exceeds current regulatory guidelines and requires new safety and testing protocols. The Verge
Why it matters
Reservation holders remain without the product after both announced delivery windows passed. Also, meanwhile, must devote more engineering and testing capacity to qualifying materials that differ from its original design while maintaining production quality.
The delay also postpones real-world deployment of DreamRide. If component constraints, battery-protocol work or manufacturing limits persist, early-launch operations will receive less operating feedback from an installed fleet. That chain could ease if Also secures qualified parts, completes the safety path and reaches a stable manufacturing-quality threshold.
The historical parallel
VanMoof paused new e-bike sales in June 2023 while catching up on production and deliveries of existing orders, a relevant precedent because both companies sell premium, technology-integrated bikes with specialized hardware. TechCrunch
The comparison has limits. VanMoof’s problems included liquidity strain, executive departures and repair backlogs before its Dutch entities were declared bankrupt; Also has reported supply, regulatory, testing and manufacturing constraints, not financial distress. The lesson is operational: a quality-preserving delay can reduce immediate product risk, but specialized parts, serviceability and support capacity must remain credible as production scales.
How the effects could spread
Component suppliers that can provide qualified PCB and IC materials may gain leverage if shortages continue, since Also must choose between securing compatible parts and validating alternatives. For early-market launch operations, continued delivery gaps would defer the fleet data needed to refine production and support.
If deliveries begin at volume, e-bike service and support operations may need repair, warranty, logistics and technical capacity suited to proprietary software-linked hardware. The VanMoof experience makes that a risk to test during the ramp, not a prediction of the same outcome.
Impact assessment
- TM-B reservation holders lose immediate access to bikes promised for spring and later summer.
- Also faces a trade-off: preserving quality may prevent unfinished products from shipping, but extends engineering, testing and manufacturing work.
- Qualified PCB and IC suppliers could gain bargaining power if validated materials remain scarce.
- Future owners could face support constraints over the next six to 12 months if deliveries outpace service readiness.
Scenarios
Our outlook (informed speculation):
Most likely: If Also obtains qualified components, completes battery and material validation, and maintains its quality threshold, it is likely to begin a later, controlled rollout over the coming weeks to 12 months. This is the most plausible path because the reported obstacles are specific supply, validation and manufacturing problems rather than a withdrawal from the product. A dated delivery target, completed testing milestones and initial customer deliveries would support it; further material substitutions or another missed delivery period would weaken it.
Upside: When replacement parts pass testing quickly, safety protocols become workable and precision manufacturing stabilizes, Also could deploy a smaller initial fleet within six to 12 months. Those owners would provide operational feedback that helps improve production and support before wider availability. Deliveries continuing beyond an initial batch would be the key signal.
Downside: If PCB and IC constraints persist, battery-protocol work extends, or DreamRide cannot be produced at the required quality rate, TM-B availability could remain delayed beyond fall 2026. Also would carry a longer reservation backlog while delaying field feedback and service preparation. Another missed target, unresolved protocols or continued manufacturing slowdowns would support this outcome.
What to watch next
- A dated TM-B delivery timetable or confirmation that reservation holders have received bikes.
- Completion of an accepted safety and testing path for the 240W battery configuration.
- Evidence that precision manufacturing is producing quality-consistent units.
- Repair, warranty, logistics and support arrangements for the TM-B’s specialized system.
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