RadRunner 3 Plus review: A utility e-bike that blurs the line between budget & premium
The RadRunner 3 Plus is an electric utility/cargo bike that deserves a serious second look because of its unique place in the market, straddling the line between value-oriented and premium-focused. It comes from Rad Power Bikes, one of the leading budget-minded e-bike brands in the US, yet is part of the company’s push toward the more premium segment of the market.
When Rad Power Bikes first unveiled the “Plus” line, it consisted only of the original RadRunner Plus. That was followed by launches for Plus versions of the RadRover and RadCity, adding higher-end parts like hydraulic disc brakes, higher torque motors for better hill climbing, and more sophisticated displays on the handlebars, among other upgrades.
Now, the RadRunner 3 Plus brings a whole new push toward premium from the company, showing that Rad doesn’t just want to be seen as a low-cost e-bike maker. Instead, it wants to compete with the higher-priced players in the market.
But can the RadRunner 3 Plus hang with the big boys and command a higher price? That’s exactly what I set out to discover. Check it out in my video review below, or keep reading for more details afterward.
RadRunner 3 Plus video review
RadRunner 3 Plus tech specs
- Motor: 750W rear-geared hub motor
- Top speed: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Range: 45-72 km (25-45 mi) depending on user input
- Battery: 48V 14Ah (672 Wh)
- Charge time: 6 hours
- Weight: 34.2 kg (75.5 lb)
- Max load: 159 kg (350 lb)
- Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors
- Extras: Side kickstand, dual LED displays, integrated head/tail/brake LED lights, bell, half-twist throttle, mounting for the huge collection of front and rear racks/accessories
What more does it give us?
The RadRunner 3 Plus was unveiled with several new features compared to the previous version, adding parts like dual LED displays, hydraulic disc brakes, a slicker-looking semi-integrated battery, improved suspension, more comfortable seat design, and more.
But it also came with a surprisingly high price. It was quickly dropped to its current price of US $2,299 from a debut at US $2,499, but that still makes it the priciest RadRunner ever.
However, coming from someone who has ridden every version of the RadRunner, I can tell you it’s the best one yet.
The bike rides beautifully thanks to its design and geometry, giving me a comfortably relaxed ride stance that lets me rest my feet on the ground at stops while still having good pedaling form. The newly updated seat is also a major improvement, though the old RadRunner seat from the early days never bothered me as much as I heard from others.
The power is there, though I always feel like I want more when I hit that 20 mph (32 km/h) wall. I know Rad Power Bikes is content with Class 2 e-bikes, but I often find myself pining for a little Class 3 extra speed on long straightaways. That goes double when I’m on the side of a higher-speed road, keeping up with faster car traffic.
The utility design of the bike is also top-notch. As a step-through, it’s easy to mount, even when loaded up with cargo on the rear rack. There are so many RadRunner copies and clones these days that it can be hard to remember that this is the bike that started it all. And Rad hasn’t lost sight of that, ensuring the most recent edition stays true to that RadRunner DNA that makes it a potent little cargo hauler. It feels like a stubby cargo bike because that’s what it is.
You really begin to appreciate this bike’s potential when you add accessories. Keep in mind Rad’s accessories don’t come cheap, but they add even more utility here.
One of my favorites has always been the Passenger Package since it turns this into a two-passenger e-bike. I can easily treat it like my motorbikes or scooters, taking my wife along for a ride. A two-person e-bike is a handy transportation tool, solving the one-person-per-bike dilemma that has long plagued two-wheelers.
Then there’s the cargo options, and this is where the bike really shines. I was most impressed by the hard cases, which are lockable and sturdy. I’m not kidding – I’ve got an electric motorcycle that has locking hard cases that feel flimsy next to Rad’s bike hard cases. These are solid, waterproof cases with sealing gaskets to keep rain out. They are so well constructed that if you hit something while riding, you’d better check that thing first. These boxes aren’t going anywhere.
The only downside is they all seem to have different keys, and if you go with the two side cases, the rear rack case and the center console, you’ll have four different cargo keys to deal with. I know keying them alike would be tricky since some people will only order a few cases and the whole set, but if there were an option for a quadfecta of keyed-alike boxes, I’d jump for it in a heartbeat.
As nice as the bike and its accessory line is, not everything is perfect. One thing I wish this version of the RadRunner Plus hadn’t lost was the center kickstand. There’s a new side stand, which works fine, but I liked the center Y-kickstand for its stable parking option, especially when loaded with lots of cargo.
Then there’s the price. At $2,299, this is a tougher sell today than it would have been in the past. It’s a great bike, but many bikes on the market now have good utility designs, hydraulic brakes, 750W motors, big batteries, and nice accessories – and many of them cost significantly less.
They aren’t as nice as the RadRunner 3 Plus, I can attest to that. But saving nearly a grand will be worth cutting a few corners for many people.
So, in my opinion, if you have the extra cash to spend, you’re going to get an amazing quality utility bike with the RadRunner 3 Plus. It’s just hard for me to call it the same bang-for-your-buck as it once was a few years ago, even in the non-Plus version. You can, of course, still get the RadRunner 2, which is the current “non-Plus” version, and it’s only $1,299 at its current sale price. It doesn’t get you many of the nicer parts of the RadRunner 3 Plus, but it’s a hell of a deal. For the RadRunner 3 Plus here, I still say Rad did a great job on it – I just wish it was a few hundred bucks cheaper so I could give it a more forceful recommendation based on value and not just on quality. As it stands, it’s a great bike, but a pricey one.
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Environment
Podcast: Apple CarPlay in Tesla cars, VW on Superchargers, Toyota electric pickup, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Apple CarPlay possibly coming to Tesla cars, VW getting access to Superchargers, a Toyota electric pickup, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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US EV sales declined in October following the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit on September 30, and the average transaction price (ATP) edged up, according to initial estimates from Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive brand. However, there are still deals to be had.
Kelley Blue Book’s initial estimates show that US EV sales fell to 74,835 in October, down 48.9% from September, which was a record month, and 30.3% year-over-year.
Prices also ticked up. The average transaction price (ATP) for a new EV climbed 1.6% month-over-month to $59,125, which is 2.3% higher than a year ago.
Tesla didn’t escape the downturn, but it held up better than the overall EV market. The company’s ATP fell 1.1% from September to $53,526, and its prices are 5.5% lower than they were in October 2024. Sales of the Model 3 and Model Y both declined month-over-month, and overall Tesla sales decreased by 35.3% from September and 23.6% year-over-year, which are smaller declines compared to the broader EV segment.
Cox Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty said the shift wasn’t surprising:
We expected this shift in the electric vehicle market. With the IRA-backed sales incentives gone, lower-cost EV volume was hit hard, pushing the mix toward more luxury and driving October’s EV ATP to a 2025 high of $59,125 – now $9,359 above the industry average. Affordability has always been the core challenge with EV sales, and this reset only underscores how critical it is to bring more attainable EV options to market.
Electrek’s Take
September was a record-breaking month for both EV deals and sales. Dealers were offering all sorts of sweet incentives to stack with the federal tax credit to move cars off the lot. October’s sales drop was entirely anticipated, like a pounding headache after a big blowout party.
We didn’t know what the post-federal tax credit EV market would look like. As Valdez Streaty rightly states, EVs do have a higher ATP than the industry average. But it turns out that, so far, it’s not all doom and gloom, and the federal tax credit isn’t the only incentive in town.
Every month, I compile great EV lease deals, and for the last few months, some EVs’ monthly lease payments have been cheaper than before the federal tax credit expired. Many states are still offering rebates on EV purchases, and dealers still have really good deals. While cheaper models would definitely be welcome, there are good deals available right now.
And let’s not forget the fact that EVs are much cheaper to drive than gas cars, with or without that tax credit.
Read more: From $189 a month: 5 of the best EV lease deals in November [Updated]
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The Oshkosh-built Striker Volterra Electric Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighter (ARFF) packs advanced battery technology to deliver ultra-fast emergency response performance no matter how long it needs to be in action — and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport just put six of the awesome 6×6 machines to work!
Oshkosh has been manufacturing ARFF vehicles since it first launched the MB-5 for use by the US Navy back in 1968, and they’ve been pushing the envelope of disaster response performance ever since. The company’s latest ARFF, the Striker Volterra Electric shown here, features a slanted body with front bumper designed for maneuvering through the ditches and rough terrain they might encounter on a damaged runway. It’s also big — but it’s big for a purpose. Because ARFF vehicles don’t have to navigate the confines of city streets, they can be built bigger, carry more water, more rescue equipment, and more personnel than conventional fire trucks.
As the newest members of the DFW Fire-Rescue fleet, these Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles represent a significant step in DFW’s broader plan to replace its legacy fleet with a modern, electrified response system, while also making DFW the largest Striker Volterra Electric ARFF fleet operator in the US.
“Enhancing performance by reducing response times is the key driver of transitioning to these new vehicles,” said Daniel White, DFW Fire-Rescue Chief. “The Striker Volterra vehicles are faster and more agile than our current fleet. Because they are also safe for our firefighters and conscious for the environment, this investment represents a rare win-win-win, delivering operational benefits while ensuring the safety of our responders and the community we serve.”
The Striker Volterra Electric 6×6 ARFF uses a proprietary Oshkosh electric powertrain and an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission (read: CVT) paired to an integrated diesel generator. The setup enables zero-emission electric operation during normal station entry, standby, and low-speed tasks, eliminating firefighter exposure to their ARFF’s diesel exhaust 99% of the time. For sustained high-power demands during active fire suppression, the system seamlessly draws from both the battery and generator, ensuring uninterrupted pumping power and performance without operator intervention.
“Our commitment goes far beyond delivering a vehicle,” said Travis Ownby, sales specialist with Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “It’s about helping departments like DFW Fire-Rescue lead the way in operational excellence and sustainability. We’re proud to support their mission with the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles.”
The addition of the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles also supports DFW’s transition to fluorine-free firefighting foam in line with FAA guidance and the industry’s move away from PFAS-based agents for a more environmentally responsible response capability across the airport.
Electrek’s Take
With the relatively short distances driven and extreme loads involved, airports present a nearly ideal use case for battery-electric vehicles in general, and their immediate off-the-line torque, improved efficiency, and ability to operate much more quietly than diesels (facilitating emergency crews’ communications) could make all the difference in an emergency situation where lives are quite literally on the line.
Plus, as demand for on-road fossil fuels drops, airports and airlines (historically responsible for about 4% Earth’s global warming) are becoming a bigger and bigger slice of a rapidly shrinking pie when it comes to fossil fuel emissions. Or, as OshKosk put it, “As airports continue to prioritize sustainability and operational efficiency, the Striker Volterra electric ARFF stands out as a forward-thinking solution that meets today’s demands while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.”
It’s a bit pitchy, but I couldn’t agree more.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Oshkosh.
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