$4,500 Also TM-B E-Bike Puts Rivian Spinoff on Trial

Also will finally start delivering the Also TM-B e-bike next week, which turns a delayed product launch into the first real test of whether Rivian’s micromobility spinoff can operate like a vehicle company rather than just talk like one.

The Launch Edition TM-B, which retails for $4,500, has started shipping from its manufacturer to Also’s U.S. warehouse, and the company expects to deliver all Launch Edition bikes between next week and September, according to TechCrunch. For early buyers, the issue is no longer whether Also can design an expensive e-bike. It’s whether the company can communicate clearly, ship on time, and support the product after delivery.

Launch Edition buyers now carry the risk of Also’s first real-world test

The Also TM-B e-bike was revealed in October of last year with an original “Spring” 2026 shipping target. That slipped to July, then to a broader delivery window running from next week through September.

The question for buyers is simple: after months of waiting, will the product feel worth the delay?

Also blamed the delay on supply chain stress, but declined to tell TechCrunch which components caused the problem. In June, the company wrote on a support page:

“The primary factor driving our updated summer timeline is current stress on global supply chains. A rapid, industry-wide spike in demand for raw materials and electronic components has impacted key parts required for the TM-B. This has temporarily delayed our planned manufacturing ramp-up and pushed our first delivery dates past our original spring window.”

That explanation gives buyers a reason, but not much visibility. For a $4,500 e-bike, that gap matters. Premium customers tend to forgive delays when communication is sharp and the final product lands cleanly. They’re less forgiving when shipment timelines drift without precise updates.

Some customers are already saying that patience has limits. On Friday, TechCrunch noted a thread in the r/ALSOmicromobility subreddit where customers complained about delays and communication.

“I’m really frustrated by the lack of communication and the actual miscommunication/lies from Also regarding shipment timelines,” the original poster wrote.

Another user wrote:

“Couldn’t wait any longer and canceled my reservation.”

That’s the immediate danger. The first deliveries won’t just be product handoffs. They’ll be trust repairs.

Rivian’s builders have to shrink vehicle ambition without overbuilding the bike

Also began inside Rivian in 2022, after CEO RJ Scaringe started exploring an e-bike that could complement Rivian’s portfolio of electric vehicles. The project later involved LoveFrom, Jony Ive’s design firm, in early design work, according to prior TechCrunch reporting cited in the source.

In March 2025, Rivian spun out Also as its own company with $105 million in backing from Eclipse. That origin story gives Also more engineering credibility than a typical new e-bike brand. It also raises expectations.

The builder problem is sharper than it looks: can Rivian-style engineering discipline translate into a lighter, cheaper, higher-volume product without making ownership too complicated?

Also mostly calls itself a “vehicle” company, not just an e-bike company. That wording matters. It signals a broader platform mindset, with the TM-B serving as the first proof point rather than the whole plan.

But a vehicle mindset can cut both ways.

Potential upside:

• Design discipline: Rivian’s EV background can support a more integrated product.
• Battery experience: Also starts with a parent-company heritage in electric mobility.
• Premium positioning: The $4,500 price leaves room to signal quality, not just affordability.

Potential downside:

• Repair complexity: A highly integrated bike can become harder to service.
• Parts dependency: Proprietary components can frustrate buyers if replacements are slow.
• Support burden: A premium product creates premium service expectations.

That last point now matters more than design polish. Once the bikes land, Also moves from manufacturing delay management to customer service, warranty questions, parts availability, and repair logistics.

Fleet partners will judge Also by missing metrics, not launch aesthetics

Also has plans beyond the TM-B. TechCrunch reports the company intends to make four-wheel pedal-assist cargo vehicles for Amazon and is also working on an autonomous delivery vehicle for DoorDash.

That is the clearest sign that Also’s real ambition sits beyond consumer micromobility. The TM-B is the opening act. Fleet vehicles could become the more important business, if Also can prove the economics.

The hard question: what numbers will Amazon, DoorDash, or any fleet partner need before treating Also as more than a prototype shop?

The source does not provide the key operating data for the cargo vehicles. That’s not a small omission. Fleet products are judged through a different lens than premium consumer e-bikes.

For Amazon cargo vehicles, the future case will depend on route economics, payload, uptime, and maintenance. Those specifics are not in the source material, so any claim that Also can beat vans or other delivery formats would be premature.

Still, the strategic signal is clear enough. Also is not positioning the Also TM-B e-bike as a one-product company. It’s trying to prove that the same electric mobility base can stretch from consumer rides to logistics hardware.

Readers tracking adjacent automation coverage should separate this narrow Also story from broader tech moves like $200 Billion Sales Let Amazon AI Agents Invade Workflows or Waymo Robotaxis Reclaim Freeways After Work-Zone Flaw. The confirmed facts here are much narrower: Amazon is tied to planned pedal-assist cargo vehicles, and DoorDash is tied to an autonomous delivery vehicle in development.

End users will grade communication before they grade the spec sheet

The TM-B’s first customers are not buying into a mature product line. They’re buying the first consumer hardware from a newly spun-out company.

That changes the buyer scorecard. Is the bike excellent enough to make the startup friction feel acceptable?

For early adopters, the most important issues now are practical:

• Delivery clarity: Does Also provide accurate dates after missing earlier windows?
• Setup experience: Does the product arrive ready for normal use?
• Support speed: Can customers get timely answers when something breaks or ships incorrectly?
• Parts access: Are batteries, electronics, and wear items easy to service or replace?
• Trust recovery: Does Also acknowledge frustration directly, or hide behind vague updates?

TechCrunch’s reporting suggests customer communication is already a sore point for some reservation holders. That makes the next few weeks disproportionately important. A smooth handoff could reset the narrative. A messy one would make the supply chain explanation feel like the first chapter of a longer execution problem.

Rivals get a signal, but not yet a market verdict

The supplied facts don’t show how competitors are reacting, and there’s no verified market data here on e-bike demand, pricing pressure, or category growth. So the competitive read has to stay narrow.

The question for other micromobility companies is this: does Also prove that premium vehicle engineering can command attention in e-bikes, or does it prove that overbuilt hardware creates avoidable friction?

Right now, the only confirmed signal is that Rivian’s spinoff believes the opportunity is bigger than a conventional e-bike. Also’s planned Amazon and DoorDash vehicles show a company aiming at micromobility, delivery, and autonomy-adjacent hardware from the start.

That breadth could become an advantage if the TM-B launch shows disciplined execution. It could also become a distraction if the company struggles to satisfy its first buyers while pitching larger vehicle programs.

The next proof point is service, not another product reveal

Also has a plausible opening because Rivian gives it engineering credibility, a premium brand halo, and a clear electric-vehicle lineage. But delays have narrowed its margin for error.

The Also TM-B e-bike now has to prove three things in the street:

• The product works: The ride, build quality, and reliability justify the $4,500 price.
• The company responds: Customers get clear communication and fast fixes.
• The platform story holds: TM-B delivery execution supports, rather than distracts from, Amazon and DoorDash vehicle ambitions.

The next six months should be judged less by launch buzz and more by evidence: completed Launch Edition deliveries by September, visible improvement in customer communication, and concrete details on the planned cargo and autonomous vehicles.

If those signals appear, Also’s “vehicle company” label starts to look earned. If they don’t, the TM-B risks becoming a premium e-bike that arrived late from a startup trying to run before it has proved it can ship.

The Bottom Line

• Also’s first deliveries will test whether Rivian’s spinoff can execute beyond product hype.
• Launch Edition buyers are paying $4,500 for an e-bike that has already missed its original spring timeline.
• The company’s handling of delays and support could shape trust in its future micromobility products.