Just when it looked like we were about to find out what Storm Sondors has been cooking up for his return to the e-bike world, the story has taken another strange turn.
Nearly two weeks ago, we broke the news on the sudden reappearance of SONDORS, with the company’s website teasing what appeared to be a new electric two-wheeler known simply as “001.”
The dark teaser image offered precious few details, (with a few more available when we artificially lightened the image), but the site did give us one important piece of information: “Sept 3.”
Well, September 3 has now come and gone, and instead of a big reveal, we’ve somehow wound up with even more mystery.
The teaser image remains on SONDORS.com, but the September 3 message has disappeared. In its place is a new message declaring that “THE LIST IS CLOSED.”
But things get even stranger.
The site now has a small support tab tucked into the corner of the page. Opening it reveals contact information including an email address and phone number, followed by perhaps the most eyebrow-raising two-word message possible from a revived SONDORS website:
“No promises.”
If you’re familiar with the history here, then you probably understand why that particular phrase lands a little differently.
Storm Sondors was once one of the biggest names in the direct-to-consumer e-bike industry, helping put tens of thousands of relatively affordable electric bicycles into riders’ hands during the early days of the e-bike boom. The company became known for flashy crowdfunding campaigns, aggressive pricing, and products that often stood out from the crowd.
But SONDORS also developed a reputation for delays, and the company’s later years were considerably messier. The ambitious SONDORS Metacycle electric motorcycle became perhaps the most visible example. The $5,000 bike generated huge excitement when it was announced, but suffered repeated delays, changing specifications, and eventually unfulfilled orders as the company’s financial troubles mounted.
SONDORS ultimately entered receivership in late 2023, leaving customers and creditors caught up in the fallout.
That’s what made the recent appearance of the mysterious 001 so interesting. The teaser appears to show a moped-style electric bike or lightweight electric motorcycle, potentially putting Storm Sondors back into the same industry where he first made his name.
But for now, we still don’t know what 001 actually is, how much it will cost, when it could become available, or even what September 3 was originally supposed to represent.
Instead, the countdown has effectively ended with a closed list and the words “No promises.”
As far as mysterious product launches go, you have to admit: that is extremely SONDORS.
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