December 12, 2023 - Based in Burnaby, B.C., Envo Drive Systems is part of a niche group of small companies finding their edge in the e-mobility sector. Their eclectic array of consumer products include e-bikes, e-ATVs, conversion kits and electric powered snow and water vehicles.

Envo has seen steady growth since their start in 2015 and is positioning itself to be a major player as the electric mobility revolution continues to grow and evolve.

The innovative company has carved out a conservative business model approach which has also made them more resilient and capable of weathering unpredictable industry storms. 

According to CEO and founder, Ali Kazemkhani, this flexibility helped them survive the pandemic. “We rode the Covid wave, even though we were small we were able to do it and come out the other side,” commented Kazemkhani.

Currently Envo has three locations in Burnaby along with 35 employees.  They have seen growth of 750% in revenue (2019-2022) from their 160+ dealers in North America, including Sports Excellence, Costco and Best Buy, and claims to have 4% of the e-bike market in Canada.

They recently received a Clean Technology award as part of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 program. Launched last year, the new award leadership category recognizes Canada’s top clean innovators providing processes, goods, or services that reduce environmental impacts.

One of the keys to their success is a streamlined approach to production. With a solid team vision and in-house engineers, they’re firmly convinced of this strategy. The concept spreads the technology across all units, with the motors, batteries and a large part of the electronics being shared by all products from e-bikes to e-ATVs.

Other departments such as marketing, insurance and sales-related items can also be shared by all products, helping to reduce costs, and continue to deliver great products at a competitive price, which helps maintain a positive cash flow. It also provides the opportunity to offer unique, specialty items which may not be profitable as stand-alone products.

Envo’s line of e-bikes feature some key models including the D50 and ST50, Stax and Flex. The pedal-assist D50 and ST50 are equipped with a throttle and come stock with a suspension fork that offers 80mm of travel, a rear rack, along with fenders and lights, in a ready-to-ride package. The Canadian models have a 500-watt rear hub motor with 80Nm of torque that is also available as a Class 3, 750-watt model for the US market.

The D50 features a traditional frame design while the ST50 is the step-through version. The removeable 48V-15Ah battery is tucked neatly in the downtube of the aluminum hydroformed frame, and boasts a range up to 150 km which can be extended by an additional battery that can be mounted on top of the downtube.

The 80kg-capacity rear cargo rack is a great feature as it allows you to add an optional cushioned seat and foot peg accessories so you can carry up to two passengers. Plus you can swap out the stock 27.5-inch commuter tires for 29-inch mountain-bike tires for e-adventures as well. 

The Stax is a cool-looking urban, commuter-style e-bike that sports a sleek grey, rigid frame equipped with a built-in headlight. Sharing the same 500-watt rear hub motor as other Envo products it pairs with an integrated seat post removeable 461Wh battery with 100km range. The Stax is stylish as all of the welds are smoothened, and at 42 pounds and only $2,469 CAD, it is not only light, but it’s light on the pocketbook.

Their Flex line truly highlights Envo’s versatile approach as it includes the Overland, a fat tire, electric and foldable cargo bike, that can easily be transformed into the Flex Snowbike. The line also includes Flex Trike and the Flex Cargo.

The Overland is capable of supporting up to 400lbs of payload and offers a step-thru design for easy mounting and dismounting along with a lockable suspension fork with 80mm of travel. It’s equipped with front and rear racks, riser bars and wide, fat 3.3-inch offroad style tires. The rear rack, rated up to 150lbs, is also passenger ready, and the 500W motor with removable 840Wh battery has a 200km range with an extender option.

Envo recently acquired Veemo from bankruptcy, and the iconic 3-wheeled commuter cycling electric vehicle has a lot of promise. Established in 2014, Veemo provides the benefits of a car without the downsides, while capitalizing on the positive attributes that cycling brings to commuting.

Now in the hands of Envo, the company plans to make it a more affordable, durable and serviceable product. Improvements include replacing the more costly mid-motor with a rear hub version and utilizing a conventional drivetrain. Like all of Envo’s e-bikes, the Veemo will utilize both pedal-assist and throttle options. Initially the strategy is to produce 50 units for the marketplace, and then re-evaluate from there.

At a recent media launch at their Burnaby headquarters, Envo unveiled their latest creation, the UPT, Utility Personal Transport. Created as a “clean alternative to UTV/ATV’s, cars, and trucks for specific consumers and industries,” the UPT is a 4-wheeled drive, all-terrain electric vehicle that compacts easily for storage.

It comes with an adjustable, single steering/control column and multiple attachment points with many accessories available which will allow many different applications.

Each wheel contains a motor and the unit uses multiple batteries which are identical to those in their other e-vehicles. The UPT has a 12,000-Watt max watt output with 640 Nm of torque, can reach speeds of 50 kph and has a range of up to 200 km.

The 250 kg payload capacity gives the UPT the advantage to take on a variety of applications and to carry many different things such as people, produce, manufactured goods, a stretcher, or even large logs. It also features regenerative braking, along with headlights, tail lights and indicators.

According to Kazemkhani, the UPT will come in lighter, more efficient and at a lower cost than other similar, traditional products adding, “Just as every pocket holds a cell phone, the future holds a UPT in every garage.”

Our visit to Envo Drive Systems gave us a better understanding of not only where they came from, but more importantly, where they are headed. They’re business set-up will allow them the freedom to explore innovation, along with the opportunity to find success along that journey.

In the end, Envo is not your typical business, and in the words of Kazemkhani, “Our mission is not just to make money, but to do something for the planet. This is Envo.”

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