Trek’s e-bike subsidiary has artistic city-dwellers and beach-goers in its crosshairs with the new Kakau Go!
If the brand Electra rings a bell to you, then chances are you’re familiar with the type of equipment that is produced by the Trek Bikes brand. Yes, Electra is a Trek brand, and its sole purpose is to provide traditional cruisers with a new lease on life while at the same time providing the added functional boost of an electric drive.
The brand’s newest offering comes in the form of the Kakau Go!, a hip and stylish electric cruiser bike with a rather striking design. That said, before diving into the technical specs of this machine, let’s first look at the design inspirations of Electra’s Kakau range of bikes. The Kakau is part of Electra’s Artist Series of bikes that typically pay homage to key regions of our beautiful Earth. In the case of the Kakau Go!, it draws inspiration from the islands of Polynesia, also dubbed the “birthplace of surfing.”
As such, stylistic cues derived from the culture of the Polynesian Islands abound on the Kakau Go!. From the matte ember frame that resembles lava rock to the tribal patterns that can be spotted on things like the frame tubing, fenders, seat, and even chainguard, all of these styling cues are meant to remind us of this region and the art that distinguishes it from other places on our planet. So yes, the Electra Kakau Go! certainly has a story to tell, already setting itself apart from the other appliance-esque low-dollar e-bikes. Now, let’s examine the inner workings of this machine.
Given its artistic background, you might be fooled into thinking that the Electra Kakau Go! commands quite a premium. Well, you’ll be delighted to know that it’s actually priced competitively, retailing for no more than $1,800 USD. That said, its affordable price tag means that it misses out on some high-end features found in the rest of Trek’s e-bike model range. For instance, it gets a simple step-through aluminum frame bereft of any of the fancy bells and whistles found on some of today’s high-end urban cruisers and cargo bikes.
Electra also flips the script with a hub motor instead of a mid-drive electric motor as is more commonplace in the brand’s offerings. While the exact power figures of the motor are not listed, the bike is likely packing a 250W unit, with a top speed of no more than 15 miles per hour owing to local e-bike rules and regulations. Battery tech-wise, it packs a decent amount of juice, with its 250 watt-hour battery pack claimed to be capable of returning up to 40 miles in ideal riding conditions. If you need a bit of extra range, a range extender can double the range to 80 miles.
