Ampler made one of the first modern e-bikes I ever tested, and now it’s selling the first commercial electric bikes — the Nova and Nova Pro — I’m aware of that can be charged over a USB-C port integrated right into the frame. Hell, that same jack will even charge your gadgets in a pinch, but not in the US because this e-bike is for Europe only.
Estonia-based Ampler is best known for making reliable direct-to-consumer e-bikes from its home in Tallinn using decent, mostly off-the-shelf parts that can be serviced at any local bike shop. Adding USB-C charging from a laptop charger you might already own makes a ton of sense as Europe standardizes on the port to eliminate redundancy and reduce waste. It also makes it easier to find a compatible bike charger if you leave yours at home.
You can charge the relatively small 48V 336Wh integrated batteries (removable for service only) on the Nova series e-bikes from zero to full in as little as three hours from a USB-C PD 3.1 charger operating at up to 140W. That’s very respectable. Some e-bikes fitted with a battery this same size can take five hours or longer to refill from chargers with proprietary connectors, and others fitted with larger batteries and 300-plus-watt charging bricks can bring that down to around two hours. Fortunately, 240W USB-C chargers are now starting to ship, so USB-C is well in position to compete.