Teenage Engineering epa-1: An E-Moped Instead of a New Synthesizer?
What is Behind the E-Moped?
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Teenage Engineering epa-1: An E-Moped Instead of a New Synthesizer? · Source: Teenage Engineering / Vässla
Teenage Engineering unveils new hardware called the epa-1. The developer is known for its unique design language, musical innovations, and polarizing pricing strategies. With its latest project, however, the Swedish design studio is straying from the beaten path of electronic sound generation once again. This time, the focus is not on another synthesizer but on an electric scooter – a collaboration with the Stockholm-based electric bike manufacturer Vässla. Anyone who thinks this is just a design gimmick or a luxury toy for tech enthusiasts will be surprised by the concept and price.
All About the Teenage Engineering & Vässla epa-1
The epa-1 is Cheaper Than an OP-XY Synthesizer
The epa-1 is an e-scooter that visually delivers exactly what you would expect from Teenage Engineering: a minimalist design with clean lines and industrial coolness. Its consistent signature style is just as recognizable outside the studio. At the same time, the vehicle carries the DNA of its partner, Vässla, which has long been synonymous with urban e-mobility in Sweden. With a range of up to 120 kilometers, selectable battery capacities, and a well-thought-out system for mounting accessories, the epa-1 is aimed not only at design enthusiasts, but also at individualists who want a vehicle suitable for everyday use. The name stands for “En Passar Alla,” meaning “one fits all,” and signals an openness to adaptation rather than rigid product thinking.
The deliberate use of modularity is particularly striking. Eleven reinforced mounting points on the frame allow you to add bags, holders, or creative DIY additions. This option for personalization is what many users appreciate about the modularity of Teenage Engineering’s audio devices. While the epa-1 technically remains within established e-moped standards, its minimalist surface and unmistakable design make it a mobile statement piece. The initial release of a completely black version can also be interpreted as a deliberate reference to the matte black product line surrounding the Field System.
This is What Mobility Looks Like at Teenage Engineering
However, the most surprising aspect of the epa-1 is its price. While Teenage Engineering recently caused a stir with synthesizers costing thousands of dollars – such as the OP-XY and OP-1 Field – the starting price of the epa-1, SEK 19,990 (around $2000), is in line with the market price for electric two-wheelers. Incidentally, a hefty discount is available on the TE OP-1 Field for a limited time (applied at checkout)!
The fact that an electric scooter costs less than a home synthesizer allows for ironic interpretations and simultaneously highlights the fundamental imbalance between technology, design, and price in the music world. Whether Teenage Engineering intends to provoke its audience with the epa-1 remains unanswered, but the product’s consistency seems to answer without words.
Is This Still Design, or is it Already a Statement?
Overall, the epa-1 marks a boundary shift in Teenage Engineering’s work and a clear positioning at the intersection of technology, mobility, and design. The transition from the studio to the street may seem perplexing at first, but it aligns with the company’s philosophy of challenging the traditional boundaries of electronic culture (see also TE Beer). The epa-1 is not a gimmick. It’s another chapter in a design approach that places musical devices, furniture, lighting systems, and now, transportation in a larger cultural context. Even though there’s no sound chip, you’ll see that the epa-1 is clearly still Teenage Engineering if you look closely.
More Information
- Product page
- More about Teenage Engineering
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5 responses to “Teenage Engineering epa-1: An E-Moped Instead of a New Synthesizer?”
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It somehow looks to me like the electronic thing old people use to drive when they can’t move anymore.
its bad copy of Honda Zoomer
Think I’ll wait until they discount these like they did their other overpriced products.
People always forget they are a design studio and not a synth manufacturer. They’ve done tons of non-musical things like the playdate handheld console…
They’ve also design the AI scam device called Rabbit R1 (although they are not responsible for the scam part, they just designed the thing)
Will you now reciew yamaha motorcycles as well?