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Electric motorcycle startup LAND is rewriting the rules of two-wheeled transport. Through bold in-house innovation, lean manufacturing, and a software-defined ride experience, this Cleveland-based company is transforming adversity into engineering excellence. LAND’s electric motorcycle platform isn’t just about speed and style—it’s about rethinking how vehicles are built, powered, and scaled for the future.
In this Munro team exclusive, Sandy Munro visits LAND’s factory to explore their vision: a modular, software-upgradeable, and user-friendly electric motorcycle ecosystem that challenges every legacy assumption about what a motorcycle should be.
Simplicity Meets Usability: Rethinking the Motorcycle Paradigm
Traditional motorcycles often demand a steep learning curve—clutches, gear shifting, and complex foot-brake systems. LAND flips this convention on its head. Their twist-and-go electric motorcycle removes the mechanical barriers to entry, placing both brakes on the handlebars and removing the transmission altogether.
This isn’t just simplification for simplicity’s sake. LAND’s in-house testing revealed that ditching clutches and gears didn’t hurt performance. In fact, lap times improved for new and experienced riders alike. The result? A ride that is intuitive, quick, and accessible—without compromising on torque or fun.
Their software-defined hardware enables selectable ride modes ranging from a 750-watt e-bike mode up to a 20+ horsepower commuter setting. This flexibility makes one platform serve the needs of beginners, urban commuters, and off-road adventurers—all at the push of a button.
Modular Battery Innovation: Scalable Power for Multiple Platforms
At the core of LAND’s electric motorcycle innovation is a modular battery platform. This system is designed not just for their bikes, but also for a broader ecosystem of light electric vehicles (LEVs). Currently, the company’s lineup features both swappable and fixed battery configurations. Notably, one option is a 6 kWh pack capable of up to 120 miles of range.
But LAND didn’t stop at range. Their battery platform includes built-in IoT and computing capabilities. These “smart batteries” support over-the-air (OTA) updates, active thermal management, and application-specific energy profiles—ranging from long-term endurance to high-performance bursts ideal for racing or vertical takeoff (VTOL) vehicles.
This future-facing, software-enhanced battery architecture allows LAND to serve other LEV markets beyond motorcycles—including e-bikes, utility vehicles, and potentially even drones.
Lean Manufacturing: From Adversity to Agility
If necessity is the mother of invention, then scarcity is the godparent of innovation. LAND has embodied this principle. Lacking the capital of bigger OEMs, they turned to ingenuity and grit.
To kickstart development, LAND initially produced their first seven prototype chassis using 3D-printed fixtures. These fixtures, created in-house with low-cost printers, enabled rapid iteration and kept early-stage costs low. This strategy gave LAND the breathing room needed to scale at a sustainable pace. It allowed them to refine designs through multiple iterations, testing and improving each component along the way.
Over time, as production volumes grew, they transitioned from CNC-machined parts to more cost-effective forgings and robotic welds—shifting only when the economics made sense. This deliberate, phased approach balanced innovation with financial discipline.
Even their robotic welding operation took over a year to implement domestically—a process marked by trial, error, and persistent collaboration with a local supplier. That investment paid off. Today, LAND produces beautifully consistent MIG welds in just eight minutes per chassis, a critical enabler of cost-effective scaling in the U.S.
Vertical Integration for American Manufacturing Resilience
Unlike many EV startups that rely on overseas suppliers and contract manufacturing, LAND is re-establishing core manufacturing competencies in the U.S. This isn’t just patriotic—it’s practical.
By consolidating fabrication steps like laser cutting, bending, and surface finishing under one roof or within tight local networks, LAND reduces lead times. This, in turn, improves quality control, and accelerates rapid feedback loops. This integrated approach counters the fragmented U.S. supply chain model. At the same time, it draws inspiration from vertically integrated Chinese factories that deliver turn-key subassemblies with exceptional quality.
According to LAND, the lack of legacy infrastructure in U.S. motorcycle manufacturing is a double-edged sword: while difficult, it enables true innovation unburdened by outdated practices.
Industrial Design That Celebrates Functionality
LAND’s design language embraces raw, visible engineering. Rather than hide structural elements under cosmetic panels, the company celebrates the materials and processes that define the bike.
A key example is their transition from painted bodywork to nylon-glass filled injection molded parts with molded-in color. This eliminates the cost, environmental burden, and variability of painting, while enhancing durability. Visible glass fiber striations aren’t defects—they’re a badge of authenticity, showcasing the material itself.
This durable-goods mindset aligns with LAND’s broader goal: create a premium-feeling yet practical vehicle that customers feel proud to ride and maintain.
Flexible Assembly, Scalable Future
LAND’s non-synchronous assembly line allows maximum flexibility with minimal space. Using movable carts and ergonomic lift tables, they can reconfigure the factory layout on demand, adapting to demand and streamlining QA/QC processes in real time.
Currently capable of producing 12,000 units per year in their Cleveland facility, LAND has already laid a solid groundwork for future expansion. However, despite their operational readiness, the only limiting factor now is access to additional capital.
With growing sales, market fit, and a unique hardware-software energy platform, LAND is well-positioned to attract investors in e-mobility, energy storage, and smart manufacturing sectors.
Takeaways for the Industry
LAND’s journey is a masterclass in what Munro calls “the luxury of adversity.” With limited resources, they’ve built an electric motorcycle platform that’s lean, intelligent, and future-ready.
Key lessons:
- Software-defined hardware simplifies training and expands rider base
- Modular smart batteries create new markets beyond motorcycles
- In-house innovation enables fast iteration and quality control
- Lean, local manufacturing reduces capital risk and supply chain fragility
- Visible design integrity builds trust and product pride
For investors, engineers, and EV enthusiasts looking to understand the cutting edge of electric motorcycle design, LAND represents a rare blend of style, performance, and manufacturing discipline.
Explore More with Munro
Want to dive deeper into lean design or EV battery insights? Check out more exclusive teardowns and analysis from Munro & Associates.
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