A 70 kg electric moped that delivers 60 Nm of torque and starts at $3,800 sounds like a compromise. On CAKE’s Makka, it is the point. The Stockholm-based brand built its bikes around a simple idea: lighter, quieter, and cleaner can matter more than faster and heavier for how people actually ride.
After bankruptcy in 2024, CAKE is back under new ownership, with the product now paired with something it lacked before: a more disciplined distribution setup. That relaunch matters because the engineering was never really the problem.
The Brand, Briefly:
Founded in 2016, the Swedish brand engineered its own frame, wheels, and drivetrain from scratch, and spent years proving the lightweight electric motorcycle category was viable. It filed for bankruptcy in February 2024. Norwegian firm Brages Holding AS acquired the brand and IP the following month, former CTO Petra Färm leads the rebuilt team, and the Stockholm headquarters is open again.
What the relaunch adds that the original company lacked is distribution structure. The engineering was never the weak point.
The Drivetrain Is The Story:
CAKE’s Jante motor is developed entirely in-house using Internal Permanent Magnet technology with radial flux. It runs IP67 rated for all weather use and draws on fewer rare earth magnets than conventional motors without losing output. That matters for durability and for long-term supply chain costs in a way off the shelf motors simply don’t.
The battery swaps in under 30 seconds without tools. That’s not a convenience feature for commuters. For fleet operators running high-frequency urban delivery routes, that’s the difference between a vehicle that stays productive and one that sits idle. CAKE’s Battery Management System optimizes battery and drivetrain efficiency simultaneously, and the CAKE components platform carries multiple patents. The drivetrain has also been licensed to third-party projects, a quiet signal it holds up outside the CAKE brand.
Cake – Built For Fleets, Not Just Riders:
The Makka:work extends range to 68 miles and supports a maximum load of 540 lbs. Ride modes are configurable through the CAKE Connect app, letting operators tune speed and range per route without touching the hardware. For founders building urban logistics operations or operators managing delivery fleets, lighter vehicles mean lower energy cost per kilometer, and that gap compounds at scale.
The brand spent its first chapter proving the product worked. The second chapter is about proving the business works around it. For operators and commuters who care about what’s actually under the bike, the timing is good.
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