Onyx Returns to Action With Retro Electric Moped

In an effort to turn things around, Californian electric motorcycle firm Onyx Motors may finally be getting back on track as it reintroduces its neo-retro-style e-mopeds to the market after a difficult few years.

In a special limited edition with improved specifications, the business is bringing back its RCR model, which it first introduced in 2018.

The company’s founder, Timothy Seward, revealed that the limited edition of 100 two-wheelers would arrive in January this year in a LinkedIn post.

The exclusive model is an improvement over the e-moped that initially attracted attention in 2018.

The RCR LTD, which costs US$4,300, is available in two sizes, which are the Standard standing 40 inches (101 cm) tall and the Shorty standing 38 inches (96 cm) tall.

Despite having the same appearance, the new RCR LTD features a better 72-volt, 45-amp battery.

The bike can accelerate faster thanks to the new power source, reaching a top speed of 60 mph (off-road only) and going from zero to thirty miles per hour in just four seconds.

The bike can also go up to 120 miles in Eco mode, which is a significant improvement over previous RCR models’ 75-mile range.

The new battery can also be fully charged in four hours and can be charged from 10 to 80 percent capacity in two and a half hours.

Return to Action

Tim Seward, who has been working on the Onyx brand since 2015 while he was still an industrial designer at LG, making smartwatches in San Francisco, has decided on getting Onyx back up and running.

In 2019, Tim Seward accepted a full-time position at the scooter-sharing startup Bird and sold the Onyx to his LG colleague James Khatiblou for just $1.

Then, according to Rebecca Bellan of TechCrunch, Khatiblou made several costly errors, such as overspending on supplies and mismanaging his relationship with two important shareholders.

His health also began to deteriorate over the next several years, and he died in December 2023 at the age of 37.

As a result, Onyx had no legal owner, no cash on hand, and a large number of undeliverable motorcycles and accessories in storage.

A year later, Tim Seward took over Onyx with the hope of getting the company back on track by creating and marketing electric motorcycles and mopeds.

“I am excited to announce that I have resurrected my original brand, Onyx, with incredible backers!” he posted on LinkedIn.

After the limited production of RCR LTDs, Onyx delivered its e-mopeds in early January 2025 and created a showroom in Los Angeles, having a remarkable comeback since they are all out of stock at the moment.