We're Back in Portland and Ready to Answer Your Biggest Questions
Over the past few weeks, we've been asked a lot of great questions about where we’ve been and where we’re headed. So, let’s walk through what we’ve been building, starting with laying the foundation back in 2013:
2013–2015: EP4 – The First Full-Scale Breakthrough
EP4 was a bold experiment—our first attempt to engineer and stabilize a full-scale, drivable prototype using a CMG (control moment gyroscope) system. At the time, reproducible "driving" was an undefined frontier. No one had ever built an electronically controlled, CMG-stabilized two-wheeled vehicle.
We made it happen—with just $3.7M and a clean-sheet design.
But the technology was still maturing. We didn’t yet have a fully realized dynamic (physics-based) model, so we used a simplified inverted pendulum model—a functional crutch—to demonstrate core capabilities. And even with that workaround, EP4 balanced at 0 mph, turned at 25 mph, and drove straight at 52 mph.
This was exploratory R&D, and it worked. EP4 showed us what was possible—and where the ceiling was with our initial approach.
That era (2013–2015) relied on a traditional academic R&D strategy, led by PhDs and professors. While it helped us learn, it didn’t ultimately produce a viable long-term engineering solution.
New Direction, New Results
When Daniel Kim founded Lit Motors in 2010, it was to solve a real-world problem—to unlock a new level of sustainable, efficient personal mobility for future generations. That vision required not just innovation, but the right kind of engineering leadership.
So he changed course.
Instead of relying on theoretical R&D, he brought in world-class, retired controls experts. Years later, thanks to a key introduction from Mason Peck, he connected with David Bailey, Brian Hamilton, and Brian Underhill. That team has provided the expertise and tenacity needed to build something truly robust.
The journey wasn’t fast. It took:
- 5 years to develop a full dynamic model
- 1.5-year pause during the pandemic
- 2 more years to develop the control firmware
- Another year to finalize and integrate the current hardware
But now we’re here, with Tier 1 confidence and momentum.
Present & Future: EP5 (X-1)
We're now building EP5 (X-1) - our production-focused prototype.
It’s powered by a validated, physics-based control model and an integrated firmware/hardware stack that inspires genuine confidence across the team.
From the outside, it may look like we took a step backward. But we didn’t.
We took a massive step forward—this time with no ceiling for what’s possible in everyday commuting. We’re positioned to disrupt the $1.4–5 trillion EV market. And with a stronger patent moat than current EV OEMs, we’re not just joining the race—we’re redefining the category.
