The Any LUV1 is a modular electric motorcycle from a Belgian startup betting that cargo capacity will convince more people to trade four wheels for two. While cars remain the default for urban mobility across Europe, the company Any argues that two-wheelers only gain traction when they are designed for real life, which for this startup means carrying a lot without giving up speed, range, or versatility.
The LUV1 offers the storage capacity of a cargo bike while reaching a top speed of 100 km/h, or 62 mph. It can hold up to 120 liters, a figure the company frames as filling the gap left by a car trunk. As the startup put it, the design came from asking what a real week actually requires: groceries, weekend bags, and suitcases that riders would rather not leave behind simply because they are on two wheels.
A Modular Design Built for Real Life
Buyers can choose an open frame or a version with different panel types, depending on whether they plan to travel with a pet, haul work equipment, or pack camping gear. The modularity extends further with an optional windshield, racks, a rain poncho, and other variations aimed at commuters, families, and outdoor riders alike.
The look comes from former Pininfarina design director Lowie Vermeersch, whose reputation helped the LUV1 draw attention when its prototype was unveiled in May during Milan Design Week. Vermeersch, the founder of Granstudio, leads creative direction at Any and is also one of its investors. Together they are pitching a new hybrid category they call life utility vehicles, which is where the LUV1 name comes from.
Pricing, Preorders, and Funding
Pricing starts at €7,000, roughly EUR 6,999, positioning the LUV1 below cars and closer to the cost of higher-end electric cargo bikes. Unlike more powerful motorcycles, it should require only an A1 license, which is straightforward to obtain in most places. The final price depends on the custom options selected through a configurator that Any launched alongside its preorder campaign.
Buzz from Milan helped the company secure more than 600 reservations in its first 100 days, according to co-founder and CCO Erik de Winter. Each reservation requires a €49 fee, about EUR 49, that is credited toward the purchase price and is fully refundable under the company’s terms.
Like de Winter’s former startup, the Dutch e-cargo bike-sharing service Cargaroo, Any has raised venture capital. The company raised €1.5 million in November, followed by a €1.25 million top-up in May, for a total of €2.75 million, or about EUR 3 million. Backers and advisors include high-profile figures from the automotive sector. Any brought on former VC Pieter Van de Velde as CEO one year ago and has since hired a head of engineering.
Source
Image: techcrunch.com
