NOVUS banks eight-figure round as its Lightbike sets course for California

NOVUS, the Braunschweig-based maker of the NOVUS One, has closed a double-digit million funding round led by 468 Capital, the venture capital firm with offices in Berlin and San Francisco.

The NOVUS One is a lightweight electric two-wheeler that sits somewhere between an e-bike, a scooter and a motorcycle. Designed for everyday urban travel, it pairs the straightforward operation of an electric bicycle with motorcycle-level speed and performance, without a clutch or conventional gears. The Founders Edition starts at €21,300 excluding tax and claims 0-50 km/h in under two seconds, up to 430 Nm of torque and 25 kW (33 hp) of peak power. A 6.2 kWh battery is claimed to deliver up to 150 km of range and to charge from 0 to 80 per cent in 90 minutes, all wrapped around a self-supporting carbon frame and a hub-mounted drivetrain. Three riding modes, over-the-air software updates, smartphone integration and keyless operation come as standard.

Deliveries to European customers began in spring 2026. Vehicles have reached customers in Germany and Spain, with further deliveries planned for the UK, France and Italy. The new capital will support wider European distribution and development of the NOVUS Two, a higher-volume model with a lower entry price than the One; production of that second model is scheduled to start in late 2027. A US launch is also slated for late 2027, beginning in California before expanding to other states.

The company argues the space between bicycles and motorcycles is underserved. Co-founder and chief strategy officer Hannes A. H. Krieger said hundreds of test rides across Europe drew interest from people who did not identify as motorcycle riders. "For them, an e-bike wasn't fast enough, a scooter wasn't exciting enough, and a conventional motorcycle was too heavy or intimidating. NOVUS combines the advantages of all three," he said.

NOVUS is backed by more than 30 investors drawn from technology, automotive, fashion, consumer goods and venture capital. Its shareholder network includes founders and executives associated with Kembara VC, Adidas, Audi, BMW, Chrono24, FINN, Grover, Mercedes-AMG, New Balance, Vay and Xiaomi, as well as Formula E driver Sophia Flörsch, venture investors from Silicon Valley and Europe, and several family offices. The company says no established two-wheeler manufacturer is among its investors. Eric Bach, formerly senior vice president of product and chief engineer at Lucid Motors and a former director of engineering at Tesla, is an investor and board adviser; Martin Hoffmann, former CFO and co-CEO of On, is also an investor.

Krieger said the company is deliberately resisting pressure to scale fast. "I've seen many manufacturers make the same mistake: they try to scale too quickly," he said, pointing to supply-chain problems that leave customers waiting on delayed deliveries. Instead, NOVUS is producing smaller volumes and building close relationships with early customers — several of its investors were customers first. Manufacturing takes place in Braunschweig, close to Volkswagen's Wolfsburg base, and the company credits a simpler architecture, closer to an e-bike than a motorcycle, with easing assembly. A collaboration with Hugo Boss brought fashion materials into the vehicle's design and lent some brand trust before the vehicle was certified.