The JackRabbit XG is principally the stronger, greater brother of the well-known little JackRabbit micro e-bike, and I had the prospect to check one out to see how properly a tiny little EV may work for the typical commuter. Because it seems, little is huge today!
JackRabbit is well-known within the micromobility business for its pint-sized city runabouts. The model’s diminutive 25 lb mini two-wheelers appear to be a micro tackle a kind of standard e-bike, but regardless of their small dimension they nonetheless supply 20 mph speeds and sufficient vary for many city riders.
However simply because the model has lengthy centered on being as small and light-weight as potential doesn’t imply they don’t even have aspirations for energy and options. That was the concept behind the JackRabbit XG: take every little thing folks know and love a couple of tiny JackRabbit and hotrod it into much more “oomph” in a mini package deal.
Take a look at what it’s prefer to throw a leg over one in every of these enjoyable little rides in my video overview under. Then carry on studying afterward for much more!
JackRabbit XG video overview
JackRabbit XG tech specs
- Motor: 500W geared rear hub motor
- Prime pace: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Vary: 32+ km (20+ mi)
- Battery: Twin 151 Wh batteries, plus the choice to exchange with bigger RangeBuster batteries
- Max load: 125 kg (275 lb)
- Bike weight: 14.5 kg (32 lb)
- Brakes: Entrance and rear mechanical disc brakes
- Tires: 20″ x 2.4″ in entrance and rear
- Value: $1,749
- Extras: Thumb throttle, rotatable handlebars, foldout foot pegs, bell, LCD show, kickstand, twin battery slots, non-compulsory fenders and different equipment
What’s it for?
For the reason that JackRabbit XG just isn’t an e-bike within the conventional sense (missing purposeful pedals in favor of foot pegs), you’re clearly not going to decide on a JackRabbit in the event you’re searching for train. As a substitute, that is purely a get-around-town sort of journey, and possibly additionally a have-some-fun-while-doing-it journey, too.
I’ll name it a micro e-bike since that’s how JackRabbit classifies it, however you wouldn’t be unsuitable to name it seated electrical scooter, both.
In comparison with the standard standing electrical scooters we normally consider, the JackRabbit XG has numerous main benefits. The wheels are bicycle-sized, giving it a a lot better journey over rougher terrain and streets with pot holes. The seat and handlebars will even really feel extra acquainted to anybody with bike expertise. But regardless of ‘feeling’ like a motorcycle, it has the light-weight portability of a scooter, really providing the most effective of each worlds.
I actually just like the sideways spinning handlebars since they will rotate 90 levels and shrink the width of the JackRabbit to simply 7-inches (once you additionally fold up the foot pegs).
It solely takes a number of seconds and all of a sudden the micro e-bike is additional micro. With the bars turned, it could simply conceal away beneath a twin mattress, corresponding to in a university dorm room.
It may be stashed behind a sofa or at the back of a closet with out taking on a lot room for itself.
The main upgrades
I’ve spent numerous time on JackRabbit’s smaller and extra reasonably priced micro e-bike, so it was fascinating for me to match the JackRabbit XG’s greater dimension and elevated options.
The most important upgrades are possible the dimensions of the body and the twin battery slots.
The larger body offers you extra space to stretch out by placing the handlebars a bit additional out in entrance of you, and in addition makes the bike extra sturdy to permit the next weight score of as much as 275 lb.
The twin battery slots imply the bike comes with an out-of-the-box vary of 20 miles as an alternative of 10 miles.
For riders who need much more vary, one or two RangeBuster batteries seen above will be swapped into these battery slots, giving riders as much as 48 miles of vary (or much more, in the event you convey the unique batteries with you in your pocket or bag!).
It’s vital to notice that the batteries are additionally UL-compliant, which is essential today for making certain battery security. And in the event you stick to the smaller batteries, their sub 160Wh score means you might be able to convey them on many home airways in your carry-on baggage (however it’s best to verify with the airline first, as batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh typically require advance permission).
Final yr I flew by way of a number of cities with my JackRabbit OG, and its 151 Wh battery stayed safely with me in my carry-on the entire time!
However the twin battery slots and bigger body are actually simply scratching the floor of all of the upgrades. There’s much more right here than meets the attention.
The brand new show is way nicer to make use of, lastly giving extra knowledge than the unique easy LED dot show, and it now offers controls for issues like LED lights.
Talking of these lights, they’re lastly obtainable to assist preserve you illuminated at evening for others to see you on the highway! And since they run off the principle battery, you don’t have to fret about charging up separate LED mild batteries.
The larger 500W motor is one other good addition because it permits for higher acceleration and in addition extra highly effective hill climbing. The pace continues to be restricted to twenty mph, however that’s fantastic by me. With a wheelbase this quick, you in all probability don’t wish to be hitting Class 3 speeds anyway. I don’t have any huge hills round me, however I think about bombing down an enormous hill on this factor at properly over 20 mph can be a bit iffy.
The brand new twin brakes supply extra highly effective stopping as properly, which is good when you might have a extra highly effective motor. You by no means wish to have extra ‘go’ then you might have ‘cease’.
There are much more fascinating equipment you’ll be able to add now, corresponding to increased deal with bars and a rear strut fender for protecting the puddle spray off of your again.
Principally, it appears like numerous thought went into the brand new designs! Since this isn’t some out-of-the-catalog white labeled e-bike, they possible needed to design numerous these things from scratch with out the advantage of dozens of different e-bike firms utilizing the identical components first.
One change that doesn’t thrill me although is changing the keyed lock for the batteries with a thumb screw lock.
On the one hand, it positive does make it simpler to swap your battery out once you wish to. Then again, it positive does make it simpler for a thief to steal your battery in the event you lock your bike exterior and don’t convey the batteries in with you.
In fact when the batteries are this small, you’ll be able to simply put them in your bag to convey them inside. However I nonetheless would really like the choice to lock them so I’m not obligated to convey them in with me all the time.
Fortuitously, JackRabbit does give us a keylock accent on their web site if you wish to swap out the thumb locks, however you’ve received to pony up an extra $25 per lock.
However what concerning the value?
Yep, right here’s the kicker. Oh lordy, it’s priced at $1,749. That’s some critical dough!
I had gotten so used to the $999 value of the smaller JackRabbit OG that the considerably increased price of the XG actually slaps you throughout the face.
On the one hand, JackRabbit doesn’t get the advantage of utilizing plenty of pre-existing bike components that they will merely choose out of catalogs. Certain, some issues like tires and motors are the identical. However many different components just like the body, handlebar mechanism, and distinctive batteries all need to be customized made for JackRabbit. So I perceive that they aren’t getting the identical economies of scale that convey us ultra-cheap electrical bikes.
However on the similar time, I do know there are folks on the market who examine watts per greenback as their major metric, and JackRabbit won’t ever win there. If you happen to’re searching for the quickest or longest vary journey for the least cash, this ain’t it. You’ll be able to depart now.
If you happen to’re nonetheless right here, you then clearly are open to different options and benefits of particular e-bikes, and that’s precisely what JackRabbit is about. Certain, you pay a premium, however you get an excellent light-weight and easy-to-ride micro e-bike that folds as much as a mere 7 inches broad. For some folks, that’s definitely worth the premium. And if it’s not, then I nonetheless suggest testing the OG and OG2 fashions from JackRabbit for $999 and $1,299. You don’t get twin batteries or a number of the different options, however the costs are higher and you continue to get numerous the advantages discovered within the XG just like the small dimension and peppy pace.
If you happen to’ve received the money although, the JackRabbit XG is a severely enjoyable journey and provides far more options than I ever anticipated from such a small, minimalist little e-bike.
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