Sometimes good just isn’t good enough. Podbike learned this the hard way in 2025. After a promising start and the commencement of deliveries of production-ready vehicles, the manufacturer of the four-wheeled ebike Frikar was nevertheless forced to declare bankruptcy. At the end of the proceedings, founder Per Hassel SĂžrensen’s company had no choice but to cease operations. The bankruptcy estate was bought by another Norwegian company. Under the TwoZero brand, it is launching the Classic, a replica of the Podbike Frikar. However, this is only intended to be an intermediate step on the way to a small fleet of urban mobility solutions. We summarise the how, what and why for you.
1. What kind of ebike was the Podbike Frikar?
2. What led to Podbike’s bankruptcy?
3. Why does the TwoZero Classic look like the Podbike Frikar?
4. How do the two ebikes differ?
5. How much will the TwoZero Classic cost?
6. Who is the manufacturer TwoZero?
7. What are its plans with the Kickstarter campaign?
8. What is known about TwoZero’s long-term intentions?
1. What kind of ebike was the Podbike Frikar?
A fully enclosed ebike on four wheels. More like lying down than sitting. A large viewing window featuring electric windscreen wipers. Combined drive comprising a pedal generator and two rear-wheel motors. Manoeuvring with a reverse gear. Indicators, rear-view mirrors and brake lights for safety on the road. Lockable storage space of 160 litres. Integrated trailer coupling for attaching a bicycle trailer. And all this classified as EPAC and therefore permitted for use on cycle paths without a driving licence. Thanks to these features, the Podbike Frikar attracted a great deal of attention long before its series production began in 2022.
Of course, with a weight of around 92 kilograms and a length of 230 centimetres, it requires more of a small garage than a bicycle cellar. Even the five-kilogram battery has just to be carried up to the flat to be charged. However, with a range of 50 kilometres and more, many interested parties took a closer look. The purchase price, formerly estimated at around 5,000 euros, ended up just under the 10,000-euro mark. According to Podbike, the order books were nevertheless well filled until the end.
2. What led to Podbike’s bankruptcy?
In a statement issued in May 2025, Podbike cited rising production costs, disruptions in the supply chain and the global economic downturn as reasons for its bankruptcy. As a result, sales were lower than previously anticipated. Combined with rising operating costs, this ultimately resulted in a deficit that could not be offset by further rounds of investment.
Erik Solberg, owner of TwoZero and purchaser of Podbike’s bankruptcy estate, told US magazine New Atlas that the low pre-sale price had backfired. “Podbike pre-sold bicycles at a price of 6,500 euros. However, the production costs ended up being over 9,000 euros,” said Solberg. In addition, logistical bottlenecks and technical errors contributed to the economic failure.
3. Why does the TwoZero Classic look like the Podbike Frikar?
There is a simple reason for the similarity: the TwoZero Classic is a Podbike Frikar. Phase Energy AS, owner of the TwoZero brand, received 180 Frikars from Podbike as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. A small portion of these will be sold under the old name. The vast majority will become the TwoZero Classic. In addition to the name, a few technical details will also change.
4. How do the two ebikes differ?
According to TwoZero, the manufacturer is revising the Classic in a number of areas. The focus appears to be on the electronics and software. For example, an updated motherboard and improved firmware have been announced. In addition, all technical weak spots previously identified on the Podbike Frikar are to be eliminated. TwoZero mentions the installation of stronger components, but without going into detail.
5. How much will the TwoZero Classic cost?
TwoZero is currently asking 7,858 euros for the Classic. The battery and charger are explicitly excluded from this price. These two items will cost an additional 953 euros. You will also need to factor in the cost of shipping from Norway.
6. Who is the manufacturer TwoZero?
TwoZero is a brand owned by Phase Energy AS. Not much is known about the company, which is based in Asker, Norway, other than that it is managed by Erik Solberg as managing director. Some Norwegian business directories classify it as belonging to the âScientific research and development in the field of natural sciences and technologyâ sector.
According to its own statement, Phase Energy acquired the entire inventory and production facilities in 2025 following the bankruptcy of Podbike. This presumably includes items crucial for manufacturing and assembly, such as fixtures, jigs and specialised tools. The aforementioned inventory primarily consists of a total of 180 Podbike Frikars.
Phase Energy emphasises on its website that it has not taken over either the Podbike company or the brand. TwoZero is starting with a completely new team.
7. What are its plans with the Kickstarter campaign?
A TwoZero campaign has been running on Kickstarter since 27 January 2026. The manufacturer wants to invest the money raised in two projects. Firstly, to support the completion of the 180 Podbike Frikars mentioned above. The first 20 units have been fully assembled and will still be shipped under the original product name. Perhaps these will become coveted collector’s items in the future.
The remaining 160 vehicles will be relabelled and sold under the new brand. New Atlas reports that assembly will take place at a factory in the Czech Republic and that delivery could begin at the end of March 2026. TwoZero offers a warranty of 10,000 kilometres or two years on each vehicle.
The campaign also serves to raise funds to drive forward the development of new vehicles.
Details familiar from the Podbike Frikar on the TwoZero Classic
8. What is known about TwoZero’s long-term intentions?
It appears that Phase Energy is positioning itself as the first port of call for anyone looking for spare parts for a Frikar Podbike. It already has numerous such parts in stock. And with the help of partners, it wants to secure the next ten years.
Under the TwoZero brand, however, a new generation of electrically assisted vehicles for micro-mobility is to be created in the future. This generation explicitly uses the Podbike template. Speaking to New Atlas, Erik Solberg, head of Phase Energy, mentioned a vehicle series that will be similar to the Podbike Frikar. However, it will offer more variety, include models specifically designed for transporting cargo, and in some cases use faster drives.
The model offensive will be based on a uniform chassis that is wider than the Frikar. This could result in up to 15 different models. The manufacturer wants to launch five of them on the market as early as 2027. Similar to the Frikar, they will be classified as Electrically Power-Assisted Cycles, or EPACs for short, and will offer space for one person. For sale in Europe, a speed limit of 25 kilometres per hour for electric assistance is planned.
Ten more models could follow in 2028. However, these will not require pedalling. Instead, you would access the motor using a throttle. This would then be equivalent to a moped or light motorcycle, reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. The vehicle would even be able to carry two people. However, riders would then need a driving licence and the vehicle would need to be registered.
Overall, this sounds like quite an ambitious plan. Especially since the manufacturer has announced that it intends to launch all 15 models in sports, SUV, pickup and cargo versions. According to TwoZero, prices for the pedal-powered vehicles could start at between 7,500 and 8,500 euros.
TwoZero Classic at a glance
- Chassis: aluminium
- Width: 84.4 cm
- Length: 230 cm
- Motor: 1 pedal generator, 2 rear wheel motors
- Battery: 866 Wh
- Range: 55 km to 60 km
- Brakes: hydraulic disc brakes on all four wheels
- Weight: approx. 92 kg
- Maximum permitted total weight: approx. 230 kg
- Price: 7,858 euros (without battery and charger)
Pictures: Phase Energy AS; Podbike AS