Reinventing the E-Bike, with Alex Guichard - Ways to Wealth EP119

In this episode of the Ways to Wealth Podcast, Charlie is joined by Alex Guichard!Alex is a French designer and serial entrepreneur who relocated to New Zealand 11 years ago. As co-founder of Le Velo Studio, he has spent nearly four years engineering what has become the world’s lightest e-bike, weighing just 12 kilograms. Drawing on decades of carbon fiber experience across automotive, aerospace, luxury goods, and performance sport, this marks his fourth invention and a return to bicycle design after first building a bike in his early twenties.Charlie and Alex explore the journey behind creating a timeless, Art Deco-inspired e-bike with a compact e-wheel that houses both the motor and the battery, eliminating the bulky frames typical of electric bikes. They discuss circular economy design, ensuring all components are non-proprietary and easily replaceable, and how the bike can convert seamlessly into a traditional push bike.Alex shares how he bootstrapped the company for years, later brought in investors, and pre-sold the first 40 bikes in New Zealand through a nationwide tour. He explains his commitment to slow, sustainable growth, expansion plans into Australia and Japan, and the decision to stay direct-to-consumer. The conversation also touches on his philosophy of timeless quality over flashiness, taking cues from luxury brands that prioritise elegance and durability.Find out more about Le Velo Studio here: https://www.levelostudio.comWatch all episodes of the Ways to Wealth Podcast here: https://www.eccuity.com/podcasts#WaysToWealth #AlexGuichard #Entrepreneurship #NZBusiness #Design #Innovation #Sustainability #LuxuryDesign #Ebike #WealthBuilding