Revamped and recharged: Is the new Juiced Scorpion X2 e-bike a game changer?
I’ve spent the better part of the last month with the Juiced Scorpion X2 and 2 years with its predecessor the Scorpion X. Juiced has changed a few things with the X2 but what hasn’t changed is that this descendant of one of the first “moped e-bikes” and our once vehicle of the year is still a great ride. But is the X2 really an improvement over the X1?
One major improvement was the packing. While not eco-focussed like some of the other e-bikes we’ve seen recently, Juiced enclosed the whole bike in a black foam that kept the bike parts secured and in place. The damage from carriers from mishandling is minimized and the assembly is simplified. The downside is there is a lot of extra waste foam. This packaging wasn’t used on the original Scorpion X but was introduced midway through the bike’s run. Have a look:
Putting the Scorpion X2 together was straightforward and took my son and me about 15 minutes which is mostly unwrapping zip ties and attaching the handlebars, front wheel, pedals, and checking that bolts were all tightened. Juiced, having been in the ebike game since 2008, has refined this process pretty well.
The bike itself is a great looker, especially in the new dark orange “Lava” color. There have been a ton of 20-inch fat tire moto-looking e-bikes but I think the Scorpion is still the best. Also, as we’ve said before, the seat is both comfortable and makes pedaling as easy as possible. However, if you have even mildly long legs, you’ll want to get the 3″ seat-raiser option if you plan on peddling (I’m 6′ and it is a huge improvement). Most people don’t pedal much and can just move back in the seat to extend their legs.
The cabling is similar to before and overall very well done for the casual observer. I do wish there was a cap to protect and hide the hidden bottom of the bike cabling.
I could imagine after years of riding, enough rocks get kicked up to cause some problems, though I’ve never encountered any in my 5 years of Juiced bike riding.
The big difference-maker in Juiced bikes is the controller, which is housed under the seat. “Hyper” versions of the bikes have a 35A controller and can pretty reliably hit 30mph. This bike and most other Juiced bikes have a smaller, 25A controller which will push the bike to the mid-20mph range on “Speed mode” while pedaling and will hang just over 20mph with throttle only.
I can’t adequately explain how much more I like the faster bikes. They are a lot more fun.
In the previous Scorpion X there was also a key that would lock the controller, under the seat. Healthy thieves could pedal it away or lift it into a truck but at least they wouldn’t be able to get help from the motor.
In the X2, the only key is for the battery which you can turn off so it allows you to essentially lock the bike. However, it is a lot more effort to partially remove the battery and less hidden but probably the better overall solution. Certainly from a cost perspective. In any case, I almost never lock my e-bikes and when I do I use a big chain.
Scorpion X2 battery
Juiced upgraded the G2 52V battery mid-cycle through the X term, and while the capacity remained at 15.6kWh, it gained the all-important SGS Certified to UL 2271 which means less likely to catch fire and legal to sell in places like New York City. It also comes with an Apple Airtag holder and IP65 waterproofing.
One thing I like is that Juiced Bikes batteries, even the older ones, are all compatible with all of their bikes.
The charger that comes with the bike is rated at 2 amps, meaning that it is going to take at least 7 hours to go from empty to full on the 15.6Ah battery. There are optional 4 and 8 amp chargers that will cut the charge time in half and quarter respectively.
Scorpion X2 range
Juiced includes probably the most comprehensive range chart I’ve seen and it is mostly accurate if not slightly optimistic for its assumption of perfect conditions. The bottom line is that since this bike stays comfortably under 23mph, you will pretty reliably see 35 miles of range or likely more as long as your tires are sufficiently pumped up, it is at least warm outside, and there isn’t too much elevation gain.
While X2 and X1 get the same range on paper, those knobby tires are certainly not going to help when compared to the older low-resistance street tires. They do give it a more rugged look however and Juiced says they were more often requested. All things being equal, I’d take the road tires on mag wheels over these knobbies on spokes.
Changes from X to X2 – good or bad?
So I go over the changes in the video above but it has to be said that there aren’t any big upgrades here that Juiced can hang their hat on. Sure the Lava color is dope. I appreciate the Tectro hydraulic brakes (though the spec sheet still lists the HD-E500 Logan’s that were on the X1 so it might have been a component shortage swap). But Bafang’s value brand Sutto motor and the slightly slower experience are really hard for me to let go of.
Juiced also got rid of the horn and made the lights harder to access.
Electrek’s take
OK, this is going to be weird and uncomfortable, but I don’t think the X2 is better than the X1.
There are some components (brakes, colorway, battery packaging, etc) that are better but overall, I think I’d prefer the X1. While the speed is a big deal and we are talking about a few miles per hour drop, I also preferred the mag wheels with street tires to the spokes and knobbies.
It is kind of a moot point right now because there aren’t any Scorpions in stock. But Juiced also recently updated the similar Scrambler line with an X2 but I imagine the same decisions were made on wheels and motor.
My recommendation is to take a pass on the 25A controller and go to the 35A models, which right now only include the Juiced HyperScrambler at $2500. The best deal on Juiced’s site right now is the $999 Rip Racer which has the same drivetrain as the X2 in a BMX form factor.
That’s not to say that Scorpion X2 isn’t still great compared to the wider field of moped-y e-bikes. The X2 checks so many boxes and the new Lava color is probably my favorite Juiced color to date.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Polestar’s electric SUV set a new Guinness World Record after travelling over 580 miles (935 km) on a single charge. The trip took nearly 23 hours, but the Polestar 3 now claims the world record for the longest journey travelled by an electric SUV.
The Polestar 3 sets a new Guinness World Record
The record was set by an unmodified Polestar 3 Long Range Single motor model. Polestar launched the new variant in Europe last summer, followed by the US and other global markets in late 2024.
Powered by the same 111 kWh battery as the Dual Motor Polestar 3, the entry-level version features a single 295 hp (220 kW) rear-mounted motor. It’s also the most efficient model, rated with a WLTP range of 706 km (435 miles).
However, after a record-breaking trip this week, the Polestar 3 proved it’s much more efficient than the numbers show.
The Polestar 3 drove 935.44 km (581.3 miles) on public roads in the UK, setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest journey traveled by an electric SUV and smashing its range estimates by almost 230 km (143 miles).
According to Polestar, the electric SUV reached its WLTP range figure and still had 20% battery capacity, which allowed it to travel an additional 12.8 km (8 miles) before reaching 0%. And it did make it to a charger, in case you were wondering.
“While the drivers pushed the Polestar 3 to the boundaries of its range capability, it goes to show how battery range has improved exponentially over the past few years,” Polestar’s UK Managing Director, Matt Galvin, said.
Galvin added that “For a large premium SUV to go way beyond a London to Edinburgh distance is truly impressive and with this the adage that ‘EVs can’t go far’ has been very much consigned to the history books.”
The trip took 22 hours and 57 minutes, but the electric SUV delivered an impressive performance. Professional efficiency drivers, Sam Clarke, Kevin Booker, and Richard Parker, took turns driving every three hours.
The unmodified Polestar 3 was fitted with standard 20″ wheels and Michelin Sport 4 EV tires. Guinness World Record judge, Paulina Sapinska, verified the attempt. You can watch it in the video above.
Electrek’s Take
With an efficiency of 12.1 kWh/100 km (19.5 kWh/100 miles), or 5.13 miles/kWh, the Polestar 3 proved to be even more efficient than the Lucid Air Pure.
Lucid introduced the 2025 Air Pure last summer as the “World’s most efficient car” with an EPA estimated 5.0 miles/ kWh.
Last month, the Lucid Air Grand Touring model set a new Guinness World Record for the longest journey by any electric car on a single charge after driving 1,205 km (749 miles) through the Alps and into Germany.
And last week, GM announced the 2025 Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck set a world record after it drove 1059.2 miles on a single charge.
With most automakers and many other companies chasing more efficient batteries with new chemistries, this could be just the start.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Forget fiddling with derailleurs and gear levers mid-commute. Instead, Bafang wants to make urban e‑biking smoother than ever with its all-new H730 hub motor, featuring its patented GVT (Gear Variable Transmission) technology. The idea is to combine the advantages of internally geared hubs with Bafang’s own hub motors to create an internally geared hub motor.
We covered Bafang’s GVT technology after seeing it first-hand on a tour of the company’s headquarters in China. Now we’re getting a look at a new 3-speed version, which takes the original 2-speed concept even further.
Launched this summer, this new hub motor packs a 3‑speed automatic gearbox that shifts gears seamlessly based solely on riding speed – no rider input needed.
The benefits are immediate: durability, simplicity, and less maintenance. Without derailleurs, cables, or external shifters cluttering the setup, the H730 boasts a clean, minimalist rear-end design, not to mention the benefits of weatherproofing the transmission to handle rain, mud, and debris.
The 250W motor includes a torque sensor and smart controller to analyze riders’ pedal input in real time, suppressing pedal lag while delivering smooth acceleration up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph). It’s an ideal match for daily commuting, where energy efficiency and responsiveness matter. The speed limit fits European-regulation bikes, but it would make sense to see Bafang introduce a slightly faster 20 mph (32 km/h) version for the North American market.
That’s even more likely considering Bafang seems to be targeting broad compatibility, with the company highlighting how the H730 plays well with belt-drive systems and minimalist e‑bike frames.
The GVT system itself is the culmination of nearly two decades of innovation, Bafang explained. Since its introduction with the H700 motor in 2022, over 40 global e‑bike brands, covering everything from urban commuters to fat‑tire and cargo e-bikes, have adopted GVT-powered solutions.
Bafang seems to be positioning the GVT as the foundation of a platform, with the company seeing the H730 as a springboard for integration into shared‑bike fleets, folding bicycles, and e‑bike systems built to last. That’s a compelling narrative for urban mobility: fewer moving parts, smarter automation, and a ride experience tuned for simplicity and longevity.
Electrek’s Take
I love this solution because we’ve normally had to choose between an internally geared hub OR a hub motor, but not both. Getting an IGH normally meant shelling out for a more expensive mid-drive motor, but now it’s possible to get the benefits of both. An economical hub motor can keep prices more affordable, while the IGH means you don’t have the muss and fuss of a derailleur.
I wish the system also worked through the motor itself (i.e. could downshift the motor for more torque on hill climbs), but this is still great progress for the industry. And who knows, maybe Bafang has gear-shifting hub motors in development somewhere to give us the multi-ratio motors we want. Until then, this looks pretty cool.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
EV charging is everywhere now, and it’s reliable, accessible, and affordable. There thousands of public chargers are already out there – and, in some places, you’ll find more plugs than pumps. But if you don’t drive electric, you’d never know it. That’s because gas stations don’t just exist, they announce themselves with giant, illuminated signs that can be seen for miles, while EV chargers tend to just sort of sit, nestled away in the back of the parking lot.
That’s why the new EV Totem from Blink Charging is such a big deal. It doesn’t just charge your car, it stands tall, lights up, and tells the world: electric fuel is here, now.
If you were on a road trip, and your tank was low, how confident would you be in your ability to find gas if you were greeted by the sight of Breezewood, PA, above? We might shake our heads at late adopters of EVs, we might dismiss the things we don’t notice ourselves, but the fact remains that my father-in-law can drive some sea-to-shining-sea of this still (relatively) great country with no plan, no map, and no app, and feel pretty secure in his ability to find gas.
Can you honestly, before spirits of Henry, Lee, God, and the DSM-V, look at that picture and believe that your parents would have similar confidence in their ability to find charging?
Now, imagine that all those thousands of EV chargers that you and I both know are out there. Imagine they were Blink EV Totems. Twenty feet tall, fully illuminated, and proudly proclaimed that here, weary traveler, was a place that you could – if you had an EV – simply pull up and plug in. Just like the gas stations out there have been proclaiming for nearly a hundred years.
Do you think they’d feel better slipping behind the wheel of an EV then?
No need to imagine
Co-developed by Blink Charging and Universal Media, the EV Totem concept combines Blink car chargers with elevated, 55″ screens to help maximize their eye-catching visibility. It’s a clever solution, and, while we’ve seen chargers with screens before, lifting the screens up above the cars in a parking lot makes them significantly more visible.
But because it’s 2025 and everything is terrible, instead of the EV Totem’s screens simply announcing the availability of reliable EV charging nearby or educating consumers about off-peak savings and duck curves, they’re designed to serve non-stop ads while collecting data that, “provides real-time insights for brands and property partners.”
“The EV Totem is designed to transform EV charging into a smarter, connected platform — one that delivers value for drivers while unlocking new opportunities for brands, property partners, and communities,” said Todd Cohen, Co-founder and CEO of Universal Media LLC, without even the slightest hint of remorse.
Blink’s EV Totem units are available now, with the first units already in service at Mountain View Village, a retail and lifestyle destination (read: strip mall) in SLC.
Electrek’s Jo’s Take
Visibility matters, and electric charging stations are almost totally invisible in real life. What that means for most drivers is that, unless they’re in a Tesla or using a third-party app, they might have a tough time seeing public charging stations, even if they’re relatively close as the crow flies. Even if they’re plentiful.
The reality is that all those signs advertising gasoline create confidence on a subliminal level that gas, snacks, and restrooms are everywhere. Meanwhile, the EV charging signs (where they exist at all) are just too small, too bashful to be effective. EV charging is invisible to generations of ICE drivers, and we – as EV ambassadors – need to put ourselves in those drivers’ shoes, meet them where they are, and demand that the electric fuel industry do a better job of selling that same institutional kind of confidence.
SOURCES: Blink, Universal EVX; featured image by Ben Schumin, under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike