The JackRabbit XG is principally the stronger, larger brother of the well-known little JackRabbit micro e-bike, and I had the possibility to check one out to see how properly a tiny little EV might work for the common commuter. Because it seems, little is large nowadays!
JackRabbit is well-known within the micromobility trade for its pint-sized city runabouts. The model’s diminutive 25 lb mini two-wheelers appear to be a micro tackle a roughly standard e-bike, but regardless of their small measurement they nonetheless supply 20 mph speeds and sufficient vary for many city riders.
However simply because the model has lengthy targeted on being as small and light-weight as attainable doesn’t imply they don’t even have aspirations for energy and options. That was the thought 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 wish to throw a leg over one in every of these enjoyable little rides in my video evaluation beneath. Then carry on studying afterward for much more!
JackRabbit XG video evaluation
JackRabbit XG tech specs
- Motor: 500W geared rear hub motor
- Prime velocity: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Vary: 32+ km (20+ mi)
- Battery: Twin 151 Wh batteries, plus the choice to interchange 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
- Worth: $1,749
- Extras: Thumb throttle, rotatable handlebars, foldout foot pegs, bell, LCD show, kickstand, twin battery slots, optionally available fenders and different equipment
What’s it for?
Because the JackRabbit XG just isn’t an e-bike within the conventional sense (missing useful pedals in favor of foot pegs), you’re clearly not going to decide on a JackRabbit for those who’re searching for train. As a substitute, that is purely a get-around-town kind of journey, and doubtless 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 improper to name it seated electrical scooter, both.
In comparison with the standard standing electrical scooters we normally consider, the JackRabbit XG has plenty of main benefits. The wheels are bicycle-sized, giving it a significantly better journey over rougher terrain and streets with pot holes. The seat and handlebars can 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 only 7-inches (whenever you additionally fold up the foot pegs).
It solely takes a couple of seconds and out of the blue the micro e-bike is further micro. With the bars turned, it could simply conceal away underneath a twin mattress, comparable to in a university dorm room.
It may be stashed behind a sofa or at the back of a closet with out taking over a lot room for itself.
The most important upgrades
I’ve spent plenty of time on JackRabbit’s smaller and extra reasonably priced micro e-bike, so it was fascinating for me to check the JackRabbit XG’s larger measurement and elevated options.
The largest upgrades are seemingly 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 a substitute 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, for those who deliver the unique batteries with you in your pocket or bag!).
It’s vital to notice that the batteries are additionally UL-compliant, which is important nowadays for making certain battery security. And for those who persist with the smaller batteries, their sub 160Wh score means you could possibly deliver them on many home airways in your carry-on baggage (however it is best to verify with the airline first, as batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh typically require advance permission).
Final 12 months I flew via 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 far nicer to make use of, lastly giving extra information 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 night time for others to see you on the street! 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 velocity continues to be restricted to twenty mph, however that’s superb by me. With a wheelbase this brief, you in all probability don’t need to be hitting Class 3 speeds anyway. I don’t have any large 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 sweet when you will have a extra highly effective motor. You by no means need to have extra ‘go’ then you will have ‘cease’.
There are much more fascinating equipment you possibly can add now, comparable to larger deal with bars and a rear strut fender for maintaining the puddle spray off of your again.
Principally, it appears like plenty of thought went into the brand new designs! Since this isn’t some out-of-the-catalog white labeled e-bike, they seemingly needed to design plenty of these items from scratch with out the good thing about dozens of different e-bike corporations 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 certain does make it simpler to swap your battery out whenever you need to. However, it certain does make it simpler for a thief to steal your battery for those who lock your bike exterior and don’t deliver the batteries in with you.
After all when the batteries are this small, you possibly can simply put them in your bag to deliver them inside. However I nonetheless would love the choice to lock them so I’m not obligated to deliver them in with me all the time.
Thankfully, JackRabbit does give us a keylock accent on their web site if you wish to swap out the thumb locks, however you’ve acquired to pony up an extra $25 per lock.
However what in regards to 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 larger price of the XG actually slaps you throughout the face.
On the one hand, JackRabbit doesn’t get the good thing about utilizing a number 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 should be customized made for JackRabbit. So I perceive that they aren’t getting the identical economies of scale that deliver us ultra-cheap electrical bikes.
However on the identical time, I do know there are folks on the market who evaluate watts per greenback as their most important metric, and JackRabbit won’t ever win there. In the event you’re searching for the quickest or longest vary journey for the least cash, this ain’t it. You may go away now.
In the event you’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 huge. For some folks, that’s definitely worth the premium. And if it’s not, then I nonetheless advocate trying out 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 plenty of the advantages discovered within the XG just like the small measurement and peppy velocity.
In the event you’ve acquired the money although, the JackRabbit XG is a critically enjoyable journey and provides far more options than I ever anticipated from such a small, minimalist little e-bike.
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