Full-suspension and fat tires are basically the holy grail of comfort when it comes to e-bikes. They’re excessive in many situations, but that doesn’t stop a large swath of new e-bike shoppers looking for both. The only problem is they both tend to add to the cost of an e-bike, often pushing the number into the $2k range or higher. But what if you could get a full-suspension fat tire electric bike for under a thousand bucks? That’s what the Mukkpet Tank offers, and so I was excited to test it out and see how good it could be.
To be fair, the e-bike’s actual MSRP is $1,299, but the sale price of $999 seems to be pretty common so I’m comfortable calling it a sub-$1k bike, at least most of the time.
To see how the bike rides, watch my review video below. Or for the readers, keep on scrolling. Or check out both – you do you, my friend!
Mukkpet Tank E-bike Video Review
Mukkpet Tank Tech Specs
Motor: 750W rear-geared hub motor
Top speed: 25 mph (40 km/h)
Range: Claimed up to 50 miles (80 km)
Battery: 48V 15 (720 Wh)
Weight: 86 lb (39 kg)
Payload capacity: 400 lb (181 kg)
Tires: 26 x 4″
Brakes: Mechanical disc brakes
Extras: Full-suspension fork, color LCD display, LED headlight tail/brake light, Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, included fenders and rear rack platform, cast rims for spokeless design, kickstand
Good, not great
Let’s be real here. For under a thousand dollars, you can’t expect anything on a full-suspension e-bike to be top-notch quality. And nothing here is.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t still decent for the price. I know that to get below the $1k figure, I’m going to see some sacrifices. So what I’m really looking for is how do those sacrifices affect the overall picture.
For example, the suspension simply can’t be amazing because good suspension is expensive. And it’s definitely not amazing, but that didn’t stop me from riding over terrain that would have sent me flying on a hard-tail bike. Some of the worst topographical surprises for commuter e-bike riders are those tree roots that pop out of sidewalks, lifting up blocks and creating the sensation of riding over a giant washboard that previously hosted a few battle tanks along the route.
That kind of terrain can rattle your bones, but the Mukkpet Tank actually made it rideable while keeping my butt in the saddle. That’s basically what it’s meant to do – not giving high-performance, sporty handling. But rather, soak up some big bumps and turn them into little bumps. For that, it seems to work just fine. Yes, it’s clicky and clacky, which is usually a sign of cheaper springs and stops. But it works, which is what cheap e-bike hunters are after.
Then there’s the performance. Hitting 25 mph (40 km/h) is fast enough for almost anyone, even if it doesn’t totally max out the 28 mph (45 km/h) limit of Class 3 e-bikes. The 48V 15Ah battery is even surprisingly large for this price. You won’t get the 50 miles (80 km) of range they claim, at least not without pedaling your heart out alongside the 750W motor, but half of that range is easily doable even on throttle.
And you’re not going to get nicer features like UL-certified batteries on a bike like this, which is part of the equation going in with such a low-cost bike, but that’s a decision everyone has to make for themselves. Do you want to pay a bit extra for that peace of mind, or do you want to save that cash?
And I’m not sure I’d trust the 400 lb (180 kg) max weight rating, especially since I’m not even at half of that figure, but neither are most riders – so I’m not sure it will be an issue.
The rest of the bike is a combination of good enough and surprisingly good. The 7-speed Shimano derailleur? Good enough for recreational riding. The chunky rear rack? Surprisingly good, plus has plenty of space to tie down cargo or lash on a basket.
The mechanical disc brakes? Good enough, though I know they’re going to require more frequent tuning. The color screen? Surprisingly good, and more than I expected on a bike like this. Same goes for the cast rims instead of wheel spokes, which not only looks great but also means you don’t have to worry about rusting or breaking spokes.
The one area that really killed my mood was the super long pedal lag, a telltale sign of a lower-cost cadence sensor to activate the pedal assist. It means that you’ve got to wait a second or two from when you start pedaling until when the motor kicks in. For folks who like to pedal, and especially those in hillier areas, that’s going to be more of a bummer. For folks that spend most of their time at constant speed on long sections without stops, or for those that just use the throttle, the cadence sensor won’t bother you.
Oh yea, and the other mood-killer is probably the weight. At 86 pounds, this is a hefty little runabout. But hey, you wanted full suspension, right?
What’s the verdict?
So let’s sum this up. The Mukkpet Tank is a strangely named full-suspension fat tire with some nice features. The suspension isn’t great, but it’s there and offers a full-suspension ride that hardtails can’t match. The speed and power are great, the range is pretty good, and the build quality is decent.
There’s nothing overly fancy, and there are some downsides like the mechanical disc brakes and the laggy pedal assist sensor.
But all told, the bike does a good job of fulfilling the role of a modest, folding fat tire e-bike. It’s comfortable and seems to work pretty well. It’s hard to gauge longevity, and I sure would have liked to see a UL label on here somewhere, but the bike still has some value to it.
I probably wouldn’t jump to call this my prime bike, but I’d happily have one for a friend to join me on rides – at least for a friend who says they need full suspension. For anyone else who can deal with a hard-tail e-bike, deals like the Lectric XP 3.0 seem to offer more value, at least in my opinion. But they don’t have that key feature of full suspension, which for whatever reason, some people seem to think they need. So if that’s you, then this bike would do it for you, and for a more than reasonable price.
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Tesla is trying to use a piece of property in Australia, near Adelaide, in order to build a battery factory and Tesla showroom. But it’s facing steep opposition from locals, most of whom cite dissatisfaction with Tesla CEO Elon Musk as their reason to oppose the project.
The plans center on Marion, a small city of population 4,101, a suburb of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia.
Last month, a developer submitted plans to use a piece of land referred to as Chestnut Court Reserve, which has been inaccessible to the public since 2016 due to contamination concerns. Plans to develop the location would involve a requirement to clean up the contamination on the site.
They would also involve the cutting of several trees on the site, some of which have been deemed as “dead or ill health,” with a plan to plant trees at another site to make up for any removals.
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The developer said it would use this land to build a new fit-for-purpose factory facility that would be used by Tesla both as a showroom and service center for Tesla vehicles, and also a facility that could be used for “repurposing of Tesla batteries.”
The plan doesn’t go too deep into the specifics of how said repurposing would happen, but it could involve using Tesla vehicle batteries in Powerwalls, or in Tesla’s Powerpack grid storage projects, which are quite popular in South Australia, where they have helped to solve some of the region’s significant power stability problems.
The developer makes the case that Tesla already has a presence in the area in neighboring Tonsley, that Tesla’s mission (and the specific mission of a battery recycling center) supports the environmental goals of the community, and that the facility would create around 100 full-time jobs in the local community, including highly skilled jobs like battery researchers.
All in all, the developer thinks it would inject $56 million into the local community, quite a nice chunk of change for the small town.
And the city council also supports the plan, thinking that the job and economic benefits are worth it, particularly given that the land is not being used for anything else.
The plans were submitted, the residents were consulted, and now that all the chips are on the table… the residents aren’t having it.
Residents respond with a lot of language we shouldn’t say here
The local community gave significant pushback to this idea, with some ~95% of residents disapproving the plan. The city received 948 comments on the plan, which sounds like quite a lot for a city of 4,101 people. However, half of those comments came from outside the city’s area.
But among those comments from the immediate area of the development, only 11 comments favored the plans, with 121 opposing them (that’s 92% opposition).
Among the comments (quoted by The Guardian) come these gems, which wonderfully showcase the stereotypical Australian predilection for colorful language:
“Because Elon Musk is a [redacted] human being and a [redacted]!”
“Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] on humanity”
“Elon Musk is a full blown [redacted]”
“Destroying trees to build a factory for a company owned by a [redacted] would be a vile choice”
“We should not support and put money in the pockets of a [redacted] who openly [redacted] salutes, is [redacted] human”
We’ll let you try to fill in some of those words, though we’re pretty sure what some of them are (and, honestly, while I somewhat understand the point of redacting profanity in public records, I’d say it is a little absurd to redact “nazi”).
The plans haven’t received their final vote yet, and the council still seems like it wants to convince the local community to go forward with them. But some residents suggest that the site could be better used by other companies, and that alternate uses could help to preserve that land and also avoid potential image concerns for the area as protests against Tesla continue globally.
Some other comments, perhaps wrongly, called the possible building “a noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple to billionaires.”
While it’s disappointing to see a proposed recycling facility referred to thusly (although Tesla does have a questionable history when it comes to following local environmental rules), it’s just another sign of how Tesla CEO Elon Musk is drastically affecting the brand, and holding it back from its stated mission to advance sustainable transport.
Response shows once again that Musk is harming Tesla
The backlash, like Musk’s advocacy, has been global. Tesla sales are dropping in most regions, even as EV sales rise as a whole. Specifically in Australia, Tesla sales saw a big drop year-over-year. And this has applied to corporate customers too, with Tesla losing corporate sales as multiplecompanies have cited their distaste with the CEO.
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For years, Tesla has been the go-to EV recommendation for “normals” looking for a painless, low-effort experience from their first electric cars, but Elon Musk’s political antics are causing people to shop elsewhere. On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we’ll discuss some options … and how you might be able to pay for them!
Speaking of Tesla alternatives, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the electric truck sales king once again, while the E-Transit van is now selling for the same (or less) than the gas version and Ford Pro launches a new incentive consulting service to help you pay for them.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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The world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker is rapidly expanding overseas. After taking control of vehicle sales in Germany last year, BYD is about to do the same in another key overseas EV market.
BYD to take control of EV distribution in Australia
Last August, BYD reached an agreement with Heden Mobility Group to acquire Heden Electric, which was responsible for importing its vehicles and spare parts for sale in Germany.
The move gives BYD more control over pricing and other areas of distribution as it expands the brand overseas. By taking over control, the company can sell its vehicles directly to buyers. And, it can also set prices.
According to EVDirect, BYD’s official distributor in Australia, the company is preparing for a similar move in the region. Luke Todd, founder and chairman of EVDirect, said the takeover would help unlock BYD’s potential in Australia.
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Todd said the first phase was proving that the “BYD brand would thrive here,” and the next phase will make EV ownership “easier and more accessible than ever.”
BYD Sealion 7 electric SUV (Source: BYD)
Since launching its first vehicle, the Atto 3 SUV, in 2022, BYD has become one of the fastest-growing car brands in Australia.
BYD now offers a complete lineup of six vehicles, ranging from the low-cost Dolphin and Atto 3 to mid-size SUVs (Sealion 6 and 7), electric sedans (Seal), and even a pickup (Shark 6).
BYD Shark PHEV pickup truck launch in Australia (Source: BYD)
Earlier this year, the company introduced a new entry-level “Essentials” trim, slashing prices across its entire lineup.
According to TheDriven, BYD has three of the top 10 best-selling electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia as of April. The Sealion 7, launched in just February, placed fifth with 1,473 units sold, trailing the Tesla Model Y (3,394), Model 3 (2,266), MG4 (1,698), and Kia EV5 (1,509).
BYD Sealion 7 launch event in Australia (Source: BYD)
BYD’s Atto 3 took sixth (956) while the Seal (637) and Dolphin (431) placed ninth and 14th through the first four months of 2025, respectively.
Taking control of distribution is expected to help improve service for current BYD drivers and will likely boost EV adoption in Australia.
Electrek’s Take
BYD’s sales are surging in China and overseas. In April, BYD sold more electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe than Tesla for the first time. Now, it’s launching its best-selling and most affordable electric car, the Dolphin Surf (also known as the Seagull EV in China).
S&P Global Mobilityis calling for BYD to more than double its sales in Europe this year to around 186,000 units.
And clearly it’s not just Europe. BYD is quickly establishing its presence in major overseas markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and many others.
With local production coming online and new, custom-tailored vehicles launching, BYD is laying the groundwork to continue gaining global market share over the next few years as the industry shifts toward electric vehicles. And that’s not even scratching the surface, with BYD’s new battery and ultra-fast EV charging technology set to change the game.