Dutch E-bike startup Vanmoof has returned two years after bankruptcy and has the first model designed under new leadership. And despite past criticism that Vanmoof has overrelied on custom parts, the S6 is sticking to the brand’s signature bespoke design, despite its downfall.
Today, Vanmoof bets that alongside a more robust service network, high-quality custom parts will allow us to remain true to our technology-rich core towards our design.
“If you use ready-made parts like everyone else, I don’t think there’s a reason Vanmouf exists,” he told TechCrunch Backstage, Micromobility Europe in Brussels this week. “We’re here to push designs and get a bike. It’s intuitive to ride it if you’ve never ridden an e-bike in your life. It’s as easy as an iphone.”
Vanmoof previously raised over $200 million in venture capital and won cult following with premium, minimalist-designed e-bikes with integrated lights, batteries and motors.
Vanmoof’s unique selling points have become our biggest responsibility. Like many venture-backed hardware businesses, the company has grown to operate too quickly and sustainably. When the bike broke down, customers were left left behind by an undeveloped repair network and constrained supply. This is the result of the company’s decision to use custom parts rather than ready-made components.
The startup filed for bankruptcy in July 2023. A month later, it was scooped up by E-Scooter Maker Lavoie, the business unit of McLaren Applied.
Wertheimer said that with support from McLaren Applied’s F1 expertise, Vanmoof was able to use performance data to create more reliable custom parts and redesign all the components that caused problems in previous models. Many of these parts are co-designed with large manufacturers, which not only guarantees quality, but also ensures availability of the parts in the event that something happens to vanmoof again.
In certain areas of business, Vanmoof was more open to the standard approach of the industry. For example, the company’s batteries are currently co-designed and manufactured by Panasonic. Vanmoof offers only mechanical and software integration. Previously, Vanmoof was the leading battery design.
But the real important work, according to Wertheimer, is an improved support network.
“We’ve revised the entire business from the unit’s economics, logistics and after-sales service,” Wertheimer says. “We couldn’t go out with something new before setting up the infrastructure to do so.”
Vanmoof has built a network of 250 repair centres and 130 sales partners, and has concentrated sales in markets such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
“We’ve built a technology suite [our repair partners] As for components, where you can purchase diagnostic apps, it’s a good tracking system that tracks which parts went where and to facilitate warranty claims, Vanmorph added that it has set up an online training course for mechanic partners. We add 10 stores per week. ”
Vanmouf also hopes to start in the US by the end of 2025. But Waltheimer said those plans are stagnant as the company is waiting to see how President Trump’s tariff policies shake.
The company has already started pre-ordering the S6 in the current active market, and is hoping to deliver its first thousands of vehicles at the start of August.
vanmoof S6: New Hope
Customers had already complained about the slow repair times before the short closure of Vanmoof in 2023. When it went bankrupt, some customers were left behind on broken bikes. Others who placed their new bike deposits were hundreds of dollars. Trust in the brand has plummeted.
While some may never allow vanmoof to fail, the new S6 may help you remember your customers why you loved your brand in the first place.
I gave the S6 a quick spin this week in Brussels and am pleased to finally understand why so many riders once went to Gaga for Van Mooeuf.
It’s a sexy bike. The S6 has the iconic vanmoof frame, refined with visible welding. There are also a few matte colors, such as “electric blue,” which looks like lilac to me, and pearl mint, which Wartheimer calls “the change of light” from white to green.
“We spent a lot of time on colour,” he said.
The technical features are also impressive. Wertheimer said that even after the bike went through its pace in rain, cold, heat and other conditions, he redesigned the electronic suite with the help of McLaren.
The S6 platform offers other features that Vanmoof fans recognize. This will sparkle a variety of colors, like the Halo ring, which replaces traditional displays, and let the rider know about battery life and speed. The S6 halo is much brighter, dealing with complaints from its past models, and is too light in direct sunlight.
New technology features include integrated navigation that pairs the bike with the accompanying mobile app, providing turn-by-turn direction via hello lights and sound. There is also a new sound ecosystem. This includes a soft but solid cricket-like sound that allows riders to warn other road users of their presence to use in place of the bell.
Theft prevention features come standard on almost all Vanmoof E-Bike models, but the Wertheimer says the S6 is even better.
“We have a new tracking system that’s more accurate,” he said. The system said it relies on cellular tower triangulation, GPS signals, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to determine the location of the vehicle within 2 meters.
Wertheimer also said Vanmoof will soon introduce collision detection and other safety features.
As for the ride itself, the S6’s improved mechanical shift system is pre-tuned from the factory and automatically adjusted based on speed, allowing for smoother momentum. It also works in conjunction with the four pedal assist levels of the bike. The front wheel motor, developed jointly with the “major Japanese manufacturers,” contributes to a more natural and intuitive riding experience. And the new suspension seatpost handles road bumps well. For a bike that weighs only 51 pounds, it’s surprisingly sturdy.
And of course, the iconic boost button adds that extra ability, making the rider feel like he’s just riding a Mario Kart mushroom.
“When we took over Vanmoof, we inherited an incredible design and an impressive product ecosystem,” says Wertheimer. “We’ve been rebuilding our company and brand for two years to reach this launch. We’re ready to show the world what we can do again, and that’s what we’ll see with the S6, where we can fulfill our 11-year promise.”
