Seb Inglis-Jones is the Co-Founder of British electric motorcycle manufacturer, Maeving. Founded in 2018, the manufacturer offers fully-electric takes on classic motorcycle design, and sells its bikes across both European countries and the United States.
We spoke to Seb to find out more about his journey in setting up Maeving, and what the future holds for the brand.
What was your road to setting up Maeving?
I have been obsessed with cars and bikes from a young age, as beautiful physical objects and thrilling things to drive and ride, but Maeving was born out of a desire to combat climate change, and an understanding of the crucial role that two-wheelers could play in the electrification of transport. Whilst everyone in the West is talking about China now and the part it is playing in the EV revolution, they weren’t in 2017 when my Co-Founder and I discovered the elegant solution they’d developed in the absence of charging infrastructure as they’d driven electric adoption in urban areas: removable batteries – ie., an EV with a battery that you can charge as easily as you would a phone or a laptop.
This simple but powerful concept was the eureka moment for us: when we decided that electric motorcycles/scooters with removable batteries were the future of urban transport. What we have brought to the table is a re-invigoration of Britain’s rich heritage in the world of motorcycle design: as the first British electric motorcycle manufacturer our focus has been on elegant, and inherently British, design, and an obsession with quality.
Do you see two wheels as a better vector for decarbonising transport than four?
First of all, I think every mode of transport has a part to play: it’s great to see people using everything from fold up electric scooters, to ebikes, to bicycles (increasingly) to supplement and augment their travels. There are, of course, many countries around the world where motorcycles are the No. 1 form of transport, but even in the west, the key point that we would make is that you do not need an SUV (even an electric SUV) for the majority of your excursions! Indeed, it is a huge waste of energy.
The average UK commute is under 7 miles, and the vast majority of journeys are made on one’s own: in this instance a two-wheeler is likely to be faster, more affordable, cleaner, and I would argue more fun, than any other form of transport (including public transport). We orchestrated a 3rd party study that concluded that our bikes emit less carbon per capita per mile than even the London Underground. So, when it comes to decarbonisation, irrespective of whether you still have an ICE car or you’ve hade the switch to electric, choosing to spend more time in the saddle will be a considerable net positive for the planet. Then you’ve got the benefits to congestion etc, but that’s for another day.
What do you personally love about Maeving electric motorcycles?
If I had to pick one thing: the design. Car manufacturers, in a bid to distinguish their electric offerings from their petrol ones, have tended to employ highly futuristic design language. As a lover of classic cars and bikes, and everything they represent in terms of material selection and elegant simplicity, I wanted to make sure that we didn’t lose this in our own designs.
We looked to British bikes from the early 1900s, and the café racer era of the 50s and 60s (that spawned pinups like James Dean and Steve McQueen), not because we wanted to evoke nostalgia for a bygone era, but because the motorcycles of this age were highly desirable in their own right: minimalist, beautiful exposed metalwork and craftsmanship, and so on. What we have created, I hope, are bikes that are entirely new and fresh, but still serve as an homage to all that has gone before.
The UK is a home for iconic motorcycle brands. Do you see Maeving as carrying on that tradition, in the era of emobility?
100%. The UK has an extraordinary history in the world of motorcycle design & manufacturer – we are one of the great bike-building nations – and Maeving is a company born in the West Midlands, where it all began at the end of the 19th century with the Excelsior Motor Company. Our product team is led by Triumph’s former Head of Product, and all of our engineers and production staff have cut their teeth at the likes of Triumph, Norton, and Royal Enfield.
What’s the difference between the RM1 and the RM1S?
The RM1 is designed for purely urban riding, with its lighter weight, lighter batteries, and top speed of 45pmh. The RM1S on the other hand, with its punchier performance and top speed of 70 mph, is for those whose journeys take them on A-roads and brief motorway spells. They’re both equally simple to ride (automatic, lightweight, and with bicycle-style breaks) and have removable batteries: it’s just a question of what sort of riding you’re looking to do.
Who are some of the more famous Maeving riders?
That we are allowed to name: Ashley Walters, the Top Boy lead actor and GQ Man of the Year, Tom Brown, the celebrity Michelin-starred chef, and Aled Jones MBE (BBC presenter and singer of the Little Snowman’s ‘Walking in the Air’). We have a number of particularly famous riders though, who wish to remain private.
Is Maeving looking for any particular partners – investors, fleets, retailers, leasing businesses?
We are always on the lookout for strategic investors, particularly with manufacturing expertise and US market expertise to support our growth ambitions and help us navigate strategic partnerships, but as a predominantly online DTC brand we manage our Marketing, distribution, delivery, and servicing ourselves.
You have a presence in the UK and U.S., what next for Maeving?
We are also in Germany and France. For now we are focusing on growing within these markets, given their considerable size and potential, but ultimately we’re looking to make the greatest impact on climate change we can: our ambition is no less than to become one of the leading manufacturers driving the electric transformation worldwide, and championing two-wheeled transport. So watch this space for more beautiful motorcycles that cater for all manner of use cases. Charge on.
