JackRabbit OG2 review: Hey everyone, come look at my micro e-bike!
In a world where every new e-bike launch seems to be bigger and more powerful than the last, there’s a certain comfort to feeling something nice and small between your legs again. I’m talking, of course, about the JackRabbit OG2 micro e-bike. It’s the latest update to JackRabbit’s original (literally OG) tiny format electric two-wheeler, and by God, it’s better than ever!
More than most of the models I review, this is absolutely one you need to see being ridden. Pictures of the bike simply don’t do it justice, especially since this model has somewhat strange proportions compared to most other e-bikes on the market.
To see it in action, check out my video review below. Then keep reading afterward!
JackRabbit OG2 Video Review
JackRabbit OG2 Tech Specs
- Motor: 300W geared rear hub motor
- Top speed: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Range: 16+ km (10+ mi) per battery (can carry extra batteries in very little space)
- Battery: 151 Wh battery, plus the option to replace with 360Wh RangeBuster batteries
- Max load: 125 kg (275 lb)
- Bike weight: 11.3 kg (25 lb)
- Brakes: Rear mechanical disc brake
- Wheels: 20″ front and rear
- Price: $1,249
- Extras: Thumb throttle, rotatable handlebars, foldout foot pegs, bell, LED dot display, kickstand, optional fenders and other accessories
What makes the JackRabbit OG2 special?
This is an incredibly special e-bike because of how unique it is – there simply isn’t anything quite like it on the market. In fact, its so unique that other companies have tried – and failed – to rip off the awesome design.
And that design is basically a super stubby bike-like setup, yet with a distinct lack of pedals.
Without worrying about pesky things like pedals, the JackRabbit can simply be much shorter and more compact. That short wheelbase is complemented by the narrow design, especially considering the special handlebar mechanism that can spin 90 degrees to create a super flat bike that slips behind a couch or under a bed.
Despite its smaller size, though, the JackRabbit OG2 still rides more like a bicycle than a scooter. Most people prefer the seated format of e-bikes since they offer a more stable feeling and larger wheels for better safety. Sure, standing scooter lovers exist. But by and large, the common sentiment is, “Why stand when you can sit?”
That’s exactly what the JackRabbit OG2 gives riders. And at the same time, it makes a number of major improvements over the original JackRabbit OG. The frame is more bike-like, almost BMX in its design, creating a more rigid structure that can support more weight. The foot pegs are improved, the display is more detailed, and the tires are better suited for urban riders.
The entire bike is also UL-compliant, including its battery. In fact, the battery is one of the coolest parts of the JackRabbit OG2. It’s a mere 151 Wh, which is just below the maximum 160 Wh limit of many US airlines for carry-on batteries – though you may still need advance permission from the airline. Combining that carry-on battery ability with the special travel bag that is built specifically for the JackRabbit OG2, this is one of the only e-bikes you can actually fly to your destination with. It’s also become popular with boat owners, private pilots, and RV drivers who all prize the convenience of a small but peppy little e-bike for traveling around their destination.
But what about performance?
The performance of the JackRabbit OG2 is what I would call, “good, but not exhilarating.”
This just isn’t a rocket of a micro e-bike, which you probably guessed by the 300W motor. On flat ground it is totally acceptable, but it’s not going to climb a hill quickly. For heavy riders, it’s also going to have slower acceleration.
That being said, it gets my 165 pounds of meat and backpack up to 20 mph (32 km/h) quickly enough, and I’m not really left wanting too much more. Sure, high power sounds nice, but I know that small battery would drain quickly if they let me rip this thing like a rented mule.
That brings me to range. The 10 miles (16 km) of range is fairly accurate, though if you’re climbing hills or just a heavy person, you could easily find yourself coming up a few miles short. This is a small battery, literally and figuratively. So you have to know that going in.
However, the small size of the battery is a plus when you consider how easy it is to stick a second battery in your pocket. It would disappear in a cargo shorts pocket, and would easily get lost in the bottom of a backpack. That’s how small these batteries are. We’re talking power tool battery-sized batteries. So carrying a second one isn’t really a big deal. And if you only want to worry about a single battery, there’s of course the RangeBuster battery that offers 24 miles of range, which is more than most people will ever need on a small e-bike like this.
In fact, if you jump on the Black Friday deal that’s currently live at the time of this review, you can even get a free RangeBuster battery with your order. That’s a pretty awesome deal!
What’s the takeaway?
At $1,249, this is not the cheapest way to get into a small e-bike. But it’s probably the smallest way to get into a small e-bike. And for some, that’s the most important thing. Portability is key for many riders, and it simply doesn’t get any more portable than a JackRabbit.
There are literally hundreds of e-bike models out there to choose from, and so I’m glad that we have options like this on the smaller end of the spectrum. For those who want more power or more cargo space, there are other options. Don’t choose this one. You wouldn’t grab a pocket umbrella for typhoon rains.
There are different tools for different jobs. But if your job is getting around an urban area with a comfortable, compact little e-bike, then this is a great option. And the fact that it’s fun and neat-looking is simply shoveling cherries on top!
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In a joint statement, French and German economists have called on governments to adopt “a common approach” to decarbonize European trucking fleets – and they’re calling for a focus on fully electric trucks, not hydrogen.
France and Germany are the two largest economies in the EU, and they share similar challenges when it comes to freight decarbonization. The two countries also share a border, and the traffic between the two nations generates major cross-border flows that create common externalities between the two countries.
At the same time, the EU’s transport sector has struggled to reduce emissions at the same rate as other industries – and road freight in particular is a major contributor to harmful carbon emissions issue due to that industry’s heavy reliance on diesel-powered trucks.
And for once, it seems like rail isn’t a viable option:
While rail remains competitive mainly for heavy, homogeneous goods over long distances. Most freight in Europe is indeed transported over distances of less than 200 km and involves consignment weights of up to 30 tonnes (GCEE, 2024) In most such cases, transportation by rail instead of truck is not possible or not competitive. Moreover, taking into account the goods currently transported in intermodal transport units over distances of more than 300 km, the modal shift potential from road to rail would be only 6% in Germany and less than 2% in France.
That leaves trucks – and, while numerous government incentives currently exist to promote the parallel development of both hydrogen and battery electric vehicle infrastructures, the study is clear in picking a winner.
“Policies should focus on battery-electric trucks (BET) as these represent the most mature and market-ready technology for road freight transport,” reads the the FGCEE statement. “Hence, to ramp-up usage of BET public funding should be used to accelerate the roll-out of fast-charging networks along major corridors and in private depots.”
The appeal was signed by the co-chair of the advisory body on the German side is the chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts, Monika Schnitzer. Camille Landais co-chairs the French side. On the German side, the appeal was signed by four of the five experts; Nuremberg-based energy economist Veronika Grimm (who also sits on the National Hydrogen Council, which is committed to promoting H2 trucks and filling stations) did not sign.
You can read an English version of the CAE FGCEE joint statement here.
Electrek’s Take
MAN Trucks’ CEO famously said that it was “impossible” for hydrogen to compete with BEVs, and even committed to building 200 hydrogen-powered semi truck to prove out that hypothesis.
He’s not alone. MAN’s board member for research and development, Frederik Zohm, said that the company is the one saying hydrogen still has years to go. “(MAN) continues to research fuel cell technology based on battery electrics,” he said, in a statement quoted by Hydrogen Insight, before another board member added that, “we (MAN) expect that, in the future, we will be able to best serve the vast majority of our customers’ transport applications with battery-electric trucks.”
With companies like Volvo and Renault and now Mercedes racking up millions of miles on their respective battery electric semi truck fleets, it’s no longer even close. EV is the way.
SOURCE | IMAGES: CAE FGCEE; via Electrive.
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GE Vernova has produced over half the turbines needed for SunZia Wind, which will be the largest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere when it comes online in 2026.
GE Vernova has manufactured enough turbines at its Pensacola, Florida, factory to supply over 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of the turbines needed for the $5 billion, 2.4 GW SunZia Wind, a project milestone. The wind farm will be sited in Lincoln, Torrance, and San Miguel counties in New Mexico.
At a ribbon-cutting event for Pensacola’s new customer experience center, GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik noted that since 2023, the company has invested around $70 million in the Pensacola factory.
The Pensacola investments are part of the announcement GE Vernova made in January that it will invest nearly $600 million in its US factories and facilities over the next two years to help meet the surging electricity demands globally. GE Vernova says it’s expecting its investments to create more than 1,500 new US jobs.
Vic Abate, CEO of GE Vernova Wind, said, “Our dedicated employees in Pensacola are working to address increasing energy demands for the US. The workhorse turbines manufactured at this world-class factory are engineered for reliability and scalability, ensuring our customers can meet growing energy demand.”
SunZia Wind and Transmission will create US history’s largest clean energy infrastructure project.
Read more: The largest clean energy project in US history closes $11B, starts full construction
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