The majority of trike's I've reviewed in the past have been huge. Full size fat tires, gigantic frames, powerful 750 watt motors in the front tire... sure, it's fun to hit the throttle and burn rubber, but those giant trikes feel rather dangerous and miss the point of why people typically buy trikes. Adding a third wheel means you don't have to balance the vehicle, so your average trike customer is someone who doesn't have great balance, or some other physical limitation that makes riding a regular bike difficult. An aggressively powerful trike defeats the purpose, especially since trikes get quite unstable and dangerous at high speeds.
The XP Trike checks the important boxes for safety, approachability, and ease-of-use
There are a lot of things I appreciate about the XP Trike's design. Let's talk about the motor and drivetrain first: the motor power is 500 watts (ample without being overpowering), and it's rear mounted so that it drives both rear wheels. There's also a differential axle back there, which allows the wheels to turn at different speeds; this makes cornering a lot easier, as you can literally turn on a dime. The pedaling drivetrain is single speed, which I like for its simplicity; No need to worry about shifting gears, and with a low top speed (plus electric assist) you really only need one gear.
The XP Trike is also on the small side, narrow enough to fit through doorways so you can actually store it inside if you need to. It's got a very low step-thru frame, very easy to mount and dismount. The backrest-equipped seat is a nice touch as well, quite comfortable and it feels very stable being able to lean back while riding. There are also hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for excellent stopping power; I also appreciate that the rear brake is connected to the axle and thus affects both wheels. Many other trikes I've reviewed had the rear brake connected to only one wheel, which can be problematic in hard braking situations.
The foldable frame is also a nice touch, plus you can fold down the stem and remove the seat to really shrink down the storage footprint. It doesn't latch or secure in the folded position so it's not easy to pick up and transport, but still very handy for taking up less garage space (or living room space if you need to store it indoors).
Adrenaline junkies look elsewhere, this trike is slow (as it should be)
The XP Trike ships with a speed cap of 12 mph (19.3 kph), but can be "unlocked" up to 14 mph (22.5 kph). That sounds pretty slow, and it is... but if you've ever ridden a trike, you know that going fast can get sketchy in a hurry. Going in a straight line is fine, but turning is not, and braking while turning has a high risk of overbalancing and tipping over. Plus, it's really only slow when you compare it to Class 2 or 3 electric bikes; it's on par with (or faster than) most shared rental scooters, for example.
Power levels 1 and 2 are also very tame, especially when using the throttle. It has a very slow acceleration curve, feeling even more relaxed than the "walk mode" on most e-bikes. This can also be unlocked to be a bit more peppy... but I'd leave it as-is. It's another safety touch, designed to prevent accidentally hitting the throttle and getting an unexpected surge of acceleration. The throttle is noticeably more powerful in Level 5, but it still has a very smooth roll-on of power without any sudden surges.
Fenders, lights, and other accessories
Sturdy alloy fenders are included by default, providing full coverage for riding in any weather. The lights are pretty solid too, with three rear lights that have a brighter brake activation mode. The headlight is quite large with side cutouts for better side visibility at night. The tires have reflective striping for that too, and they're also pre-installed with Slime sealant to prevent flats. Sadly there are no turn signals, and also no horn or bell, but perhaps they'll be added in the next generation.
You'll have to spend a bit extra if you want to haul cargo (which you probably will). For $149 you can get the Cargo Package which includes a front basket, plus two different sizes of rear basket (I believe the one shown in the video is the small). It's a worthwhile investment and Lectric's accessories are well made, but you could also do it for a lot cheaper by buying from a local bike shop (or your own DIY solution).
Oh, there's also a parking brake! Two of them, actually --one on each brake lever-- that you can engage to prevent rolling. Handy for parking in a sloped driveway, or for securing it while loading and unloading cargo.
