2009
Two brothers, one workshop in Amsterdam.
The founding
Dutch brothers Taco and Ties Carlier found VanMoof in Amsterdam with a clear idea: city bikes should feel clean, integrated, and a little bit rebellious. The name is a playful Dutch spin on the word "move".
Early VanMoofs are pedal-only commuter bikes with a hallmark that sticks to this day — the famous straight top tube with built-in lights hidden inside the frame. No cables, no clutter.
Amsterdam, NL
Commuter bikes
"We wanted to build a bike that looks like it fell out of the future."
2014
Electrified S — the first electric VanMoof.
The spark + Mid Period lineup
VanMoof launches the Electrified S, its first production electric bike. Everything that will come to define the brand is already there: a hidden battery, an integrated front-hub motor, and a seamless silhouette that barely looks electric at all.
In parallel, the Mid Period (2014-2016) expands the lineup with the F-series (F3, F5, F6), B-series (B3, B5, B6), and the first S, T, D (Düsenjäger M3) and Q series — a broad catalogue for every kind of city rider.
Hidden battery
First electric
Mid Period lineup
2017
Electrified S2 / X2 — the first real iteration.
Taking shape
The Electrified S2 (straight frame) and X2 (compact step-through) arrive. These are the bikes where VanMoof really finds its voice: cleaner lines, better integration, an evolved motor, and the iconic matrix display on the top tube.
They also ship with a clever anti-theft promise and the first generation of the Kick Lock — push the button with your heel and the bike is locked. VanMoof starts to feel less like a bike company and more like a mobility startup.
Matrix display
Kick Lock
Bike hunters
2018
Smartphone-first design philosophy.
Bike meets app
VanMoof fully commits to a smartphone-first design philosophy. Your phone is the dashboard, the key, the settings menu and the service desk. The app becomes a core part of the product — not an afterthought.
It's a bold call for a bike brand. Around this time the "bike subscription" idea also lands: pay a monthly fee and the bike, maintenance and theft cover all come in one package. It's ahead of its time and attracts a cult following among urban riders.
App-first
Subscription model
Urban mobility
2020
Series 3 launches — the most beloved VanMoof ever.
The breakout
April 2020. The world is shut down, people are rediscovering cycling, and VanMoof drops the S3 and X3. Automatic electronic gears, a 4-speed gearbox, a hydraulic disc brake, a quieter motor, and the cleanest VanMoof silhouette yet.
The Series 3 becomes an overnight phenomenon. Demand goes parabolic. Waiting lists stretch for months. For a lot of riders — us included — the S3 and X3 are still the bikes they picture when they hear the word "VanMoof".
4-speed AutoShift
Turbo Boost
Most popular
"The bike most people still picture when they hear 'VanMoof'."
2021
VanMoof V announced — a 50 km/h flagship.
The ambition
October 2021. VanMoof unveils the VanMoof V: a high-speed, dual-motor, fully suspended e-bike designed to hit 50 km/h. Angular, aggressive, unmistakably VanMoof. It's a full-on flagship moonshot that hints at where the brand wants to go next.
The V captures imaginations everywhere — a VanMoof that rides like a motorbike, built for proper urban distance. Pre-orders pile in and the whole industry is watching.
50 km/h
Dual motors
Flagship concept
2022
Series 4 — the S4 and X4.
Iteration continues
The Series 4 arrives, keeping the iconic integrated frame and refining the package around it. It's a natural evolution of the Series 3 story — same DNA, cleaner lines, updated internals.
The Series 4 is still quietly loved by a lot of owners, sitting between the breakout S3/X3 and the more ambitious Series 5 that's about to follow.
S4 / X4
Evolution
2023
Series 5 launches — and a difficult chapter begins.
A hard year, a new start
Spring 2023. VanMoof launches the ambitious Series 5 — the S5 with a straight frame and the A5 with a low step-in frame. It's the most advanced VanMoof yet: new Halo Ring displays, a redesigned motor, an updated app, and a more integrated look than ever.
Later that summer, VanMoof enters a difficult chapter. The scale-up costs of running a smart e-bike ecosystem catch up with the company. In July 2023, VanMoof files for bankruptcy in the Netherlands.
But — and this is the part that matters — the story doesn't end there. Within weeks, a rescue is in motion. The community holds its breath, and then breathes out again.
S5 & A5
Halo Ring
A new chapter begins
2024
Lavoie acquires VanMoof — the workshops reopen.
The rescue
VanMoof is acquired by Lavoie, the e-mobility brand owned by McLaren Applied. The same McLaren whose engineering roots trace back to Formula 1. The new team invests tens of millions of pounds to stabilise operations, restart the supply chain and reopen the workshops.
In April 2024, VanMoof relaunches the S5 and A5 with improved quality control. A new network of service partners starts rolling out across Europe. Co-CEOs Eliott Wertheimer and Albert Nassar take the helm of what people start calling "VanMoof 2.0".
For riders, the feeling is simple: our bikes matter again.
Workshops reopened
QC overhaul
250+ service partners
"VanMoof 2.0 — backed by the team behind McLaren Applied."
2025
Series 6 — the Series 6 and S6 Open arrive.
VanMoof is back
June 2025. The first brand-new VanMoof of the new era lands: the Series 6. It's the unmistakable VanMoof silhouette, redesigned from the inside out. A new 3-gear mechanical AutoShift hub, a redesigned Control Core, a cleaner app, and a relentless focus on reliability after everything the brand has been through.
The S6 Open launches alongside it with a low step-in frame, replacing the A-series as the more accessible option. Initial launch markets are the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium, with the UK following later in the year.
S6 / S6 Open
3-gear AutoShift
Reliability-first
2026
Continued growth under new ownership.
Where we are today
Today, VanMoof is a very different company from the one that went into 2023 — but the soul of the bikes is the same. The Series 6 is shipping steadily. The Series 3, 4 and 5 are still being serviced across a growing network of 250+ partners. Software updates are landing. The community is riding.
And honestly? The best part of the story might still be ahead. We'll be here for it — on two wheels.
Active community
Growing again
Still riding
