Infinite Machine launches Alto e-bike at $3,495 — a class 2 design built legal by intent

Summary

Infinite Machine is launching Alto, its second product, at $3,495. The vehicle resembles a small motorcycle but qualifies legally as a class 2 e-bike, capped at 25 mph, under 36 inches wide, and fitted with operable pedals. This legal classification is the entire product strategy. By staying within the federal and all-50-states definition of a bicycle, Alto avoids license plates, registration, insurance requirements, and motor vehicle regulation.

The design was built from the ground up rather than retrofitted onto an existing frame. Most e-bikes bolt motors and batteries onto frames never designed for powered use, stressing components beyond their intent. Alto uses aluminum and steel, seats two people, is weatherproof for outdoor parking, and includes a hot-swappable 20-pound battery that pulls out of the seat. Charging takes six hours on a standard 110V outlet. An optional supercharger cuts that to three hours for a couple hundred dollars.

Retail strategy

Infinite Machine is going direct to consumer through a 13,000 square-foot New York City facility that will operate as a retail store. Channel retail such as Best Buy is a future option. The company is taking $100 fully refundable deposits. First units ship in August through what it calls the Burning Man option; standard delivery runs late September or early October, positioning the product for the holiday window.

Company scale

Founder Joe Cohen has been full-time for less than 18 months. The company has raised less than $10 million and shipped two motorized vehicles into production. Cohen frames this as an ultra lean hardware model, a contrast to the capital-intensive approach of first-generation micromobility companies like Bird and Lime. He views that shared-fleet model as structurally flawed because it never generated durable consumer attachment.

Why large US tech companies haven't entered this space

Cohen argues that Apple is too conservative and most American tech companies lack hardware expertise. He positions Infinite Machine as a candidate to become the next great American multicategory hardware company, starting with vehicles and eventually moving into broader physical products as AI moves off screens into embodied devices.

Tariffs

The EV supply chain runs deep through China regardless of final assembly location. Cohen says tariffs have stabilized but remain a cost headwind. The US is playing defense with protectionist measures rather than offense with industrial incentives.

Safety

Near-term safety features focus on rider awareness and visibility at lower urban speeds. Cohen expects automotive-grade ADAS software to migrate into these vehicles over time for collision alerting and limited vehicle intervention. The baseline target is a 10–15% safety improvement over the existing e-bike fleet.