After moving into the assembly hall, the warehouse and workstations for pre-assembly and final assembly will be set up in Rosenthal by the SOP. The list of other milestones is becoming increasingly manageable.
Driver test vehicle (FET)
Most components of the TWIKE 5 are sufficiently determined for procurement and larger assemblies such as steering and chassis components have also been confirmed with initial tests in a driver test vehicle and their revision has already been initiated. Additional tests and possible optimizations are required to ensure that the newly developed vehicle meets further requirements for safe driving dynamics. By FET, we mean prototypes that are roadworthy but do not necessarily have a fairing yet. A first FET was built and the electrical and drive tests were started in October 2023. A second FET, bonded from black anodized aluminium sheets close to series production, allows further tests on more demanding driving dynamics and was completed in February 2025.
Prototypes
As soon as the driver tests have been successfully completed and the frame (BIW), chassis and drive system are deemed approvable by us and the accompanying experts, we can add the exterior to the driver test carriers in the following four to five months and thus build fully-fledged prototypes. We will present these prototypes to our customers and at the same time carry out final physical tests for ECE homologation.
ECE homologation
Homologation is the technical term for the type approval of a vehicle or the approval of a series vehicle in the EU, which is also accepted by some non-European countries. For this purpose, we work together with the Luxembourg approval service provider ATEEL. The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) in Flensburg confirms the completeness of the required evidence and subsequently issues the EU approval.
Conversion of the pre-order into an order
When the prototypes are inspected, customers are given the opportunity to convert their pre-order into a binding order. This will be the final lever for the start of series production.
Start of series production (SOP)
Once the go-ahead has been given, two vehicles a day should be assembled at the Rosenthal plant once production processes have been ramped up. We continue to assume that we will reach this point around six months after the prototypes are presented. Within a period of twelve months, starting after SOP and reaching the so-called comb line of production of two vehicles per working day, the planned 500 TWIKE 5s will then be produced and handed over to our customers.
PIONEER EDITION
In order to keep to the ambitious schedule, permanently available liquidity is a basic prerequisite. If access to the required funds is delayed, the schedule is delayed. However, we believe that the presentation of prototypes at the latest will dispel the current reluctance to make advance payments.
An exclusive and attractively priced bonus package was created with the TWIKE 5 Pioneer Edition to secure financing for the final development phase. The interest-based ranking system also allows later pre-orders with a higher advance payment to move up in the ranking and even reserve a desired serial number.
You can find out how our financing is organized and how you can secure a TWIKE Pioneer Editionhere.
