• The Olto is a new e-bike from New York City-based startup Infinite Machine. 
• It has phone-as-a-key capability, over-the-air firmware updates, a swappable battery and tons of accessories. 
• It costs $3,495 and arrives this fall.

I sold my electric bike a couple of years ago when I moved from New York to the San Francisco Bay Area. And I’ve missed it ever since. 

It was just a cheap, no-name, made-in-China deal. A piece of crap, if I’m being honest. But it convinced me that e-bikes are the absolute best way to get around a city. On that bike, I’d regularly travel farther than I was willing to under human power alone, all while arriving less sweaty. I’d get places faster than I would’ve on public transit. I loved the freedom of zooming around the city without the burden of needing to find a parking spot. 

I may have just found my way back into the wonderful world of e-bikes: the Infinite Machine Olto. Announced on Thursday, this high-tech, $3,495 e-bike blows my old ride out of the water in every way. And I’m obsessed. 

Infinite Machine is a New York-based mobility startup with a mission to create “the most compelling non cars on Earth.” It first gained notoriety for the P1, a futuristic-looking scooter with Tesla Cybertruck vibes. The Olto is its first e-bike. But it’s really more like a bike-lane-approved motorcycle than a bicycle. 

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Like a Vespa or a Honda Ruckus, the Olto has an upright seating position and a step-through frame construction. But it also looks far cleaner and more elegant than those scooters. It has no visible cabling, no extraneous styling elements and is made up of just a few simple shapes. I love it, and I think this is what it would look like if Apple, Tesla or Rivian made an e-bike. (Rivian is doing just that, by the way, through a spinoff startup called Also.)

As for the basics, it comes with a 2.0-kilowatt motor embedded in the rear hub and a 33-mph top speed. (All that power is intended for off-road use, and the bike can be software-limited to 750 watts and 20 mph depending on the jurisdiction.) Infinite Machine says the bike will travel 40 miles on a charge thanks to a 1.2-kilowatt-hour battery. It has dual suspension and can be operated via pedal assist or a throttle.

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

But that’s all fairly typical e-bike stuff. The Olto also has a ridiculously long list of thoughtful features that would seem to make it the ultimate commuting or grocery-getting machine. 

The Olto is equipped to carry two people right out of the box. It comes with a stretched-out seat and an extra set of foot pegs that pop out from the frame. 

It has an impressive array of security features. The steering and motor lock automatically after a ride. Your phone can act as a key via the company’s app, with the bike automatically unlocking itself as you approach. Alternatively, you can tap a keycard. The app lets you GPS track your bike and will alert you if your bike senses someone messing with it. There’s an auxiliary battery that powers an alarm system. 

Photo by: Infinite Machine

That’s important because the battery is removable and swappable. It can recharge fully in 5.5 hours using the included charger—or in three hours using an optional “Super Charger.” And the company will even sell you a nifty charging dock, so your battery can stand upright while it fills up. 

Owners can monitor their battery’s health via the Infinite Machine app. And the bike is even capable of receiving over-the-air firmware updates that tweak things like its battery management system or performance. This really is the ultimate e-bike for EV and tech nerds.  

Other practical stuff: It has an integrated headlight, brake light and turn signals. It has a motorcycle horn. It has USB ports for charging your phone and under-seat storage. It has integrated under-seat hooks for hanging helmets. It has hydraulic disc brakes. And the pedals magnetize in place to function better as stationary foot pegs.

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Photo by: Infinite Machine

Plus, Infinite Machine invites you to customize your Olto with a variety of bolt-on accessories. That includes racks, a child’s seat, a center stand and a phone mount. The open area between your knees can even be transformed into a cargo bin using a couple of handy side walls. 

One problem I see is the Olto’s weight. It clocks in at a beefy 176 pounds, so don’t expect to lug this thing down the subway stairs or into your walk-up apartment. The company assures customers that the bike’s weather-proof design and safety features make it OK to park outside. 

Are all these gizmos a bit overkill for a bike? Some people will definitely feel that way. But I think it’s awesome that Infinite Machine developed more than a bike—it made a whole technology, software and accessory ecosystem that makes the Olto a cohesive and feature-packed car replacement. At least, it looks that way to me. I can’t say for sure until I can try this thing out for myself. 

The Olto is available to configure and preorder now with a $100 deposit. The first bikes ship this fall.

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com