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mod cargo e-bike

MOD Bikes is a bit of a different type of electric bike maker, marching to the beat of its own drum, which helps the company stand out in a sea of newly released e-bikes. Look no further than the company’s popular sidecar electric bike or their own in-house designed street chargers for e-bikes. It’s obvious that MOD isn’t using the same playbook as everyone else.

But when I recently took a trip to Texas to visit the company and see their SXSW unveiling, my focus this time was on one of their more utility-based models: The newly released MOD Cargo electric bike.

Part of the company’s new 2024 launch of e-bikes, first unveiled at this year’s SXSW Festival, the Mod Cargo adds several new features to MOD’s feature list.

Chief among those features are the new color display, torque sensor, vertical parking frame, turn signal helmet integration, and more.

Check out what I mean in my test riding video below, then keep reading for even more!

MOD Cargo test ride video

MOD Cargo tech specs

  • Motor: 750W (1,000W peak) geared rear hub motor
  • Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
  • Range: Claimed up to 90 miles (144 km) with dual batteries
  • Battery: 48V 15Ah (720 Wh) or dual batteries for 1,440 Wh
  • Bike Weight: 62 pounds (28 kg)
  • Battery Weight: 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg)
  • Bike Max load: 400 pounds (181 kg)
  • Tires: 20″x3″ semi-fat tires
  • Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes, 180mm rotors
  • Extras: 7-speed Shimano shifter, large color LCD screen, LED headlight and tail/brake light, thumb-throttle, up to two removable batteries, included fenders and built-in long rear rack, snap-on system for accessory mounting, and more.

Testing out the new e-bike

I love e-bikes that can do more than just take you from point A to point B. I prefer e-bikes that can be used for several roles, from mere transportation to utility and even hauling. And the MOD Cargo is definitely one of those multi-role bikes.

The design incorporates a long built-in rear rack, making it an essential part of the frame and ensuring a strong, rigid design. It can handle up to 400 lb (181 kg) of payload distributed around the bike, meaning you can easily carry two kids or some serious gear with you.

The bike also uses a snap-on system to easily mount and remove various attachments such as cargo baskets, child safety seats, and more.

Plus the vertical parking design (which, I should note, is obviously borrowed from Tern’s glorious rear rack design), means you can park the bike vertically in your garage or the corner of your living room, taking up barely more space than a coat rack. Actually, you could probably use it as a coat rack when it’s parked. Those handlebars do double duty!

Speaking of those bars, they also fold down, which is great for loading the bike in the back of a car with step-thru seating like a mini van. You just slide the bike down the center aisle, made possible thanks to the bars dropping down so low.

In addition to the rugged design, I was impressed with the comfort of the ride. Cargo bikes are known for a lot of things, but comfortable riding isn’t usually one of them. They generally use smaller wheels to help increase cargo space, but that can impact their ride quality. With the MOD Cargo though, the combination of 20×3″ semi-fat tires as well as a suspension fork and suspension seat post, I was able to comfortably ride nature trails in the park that include dirt and gravel surfaces.

This definitely isn’t going to be the bike you take on rutted-out single track, but being able to stay in the saddle on dirt roads is still a nice feature to have.

You’re not going to get true rear suspension on a cargo bike unless you’re willing to shell out more than the cost of a decent used car, but seat post suspension helps to complement the suspension fork to give your tush some extra cushioning when you need it.

And the last feature I want to point out regarding the bike design is the inclusion of a super sturdy center kickstand. I’ve noticed that a lot of cargo e-bike makers are cheaping out on kickstands recently, so I’m glad to see that MOD put a serious, heavy-duty center stand on their bike.

This is what you want underneath you when you got kids or heavy cargo on back. You want a wide center stand that keeps the bike parked stably, not precariously pitched over to one side. Side stands work fine on a normal city bike, but a heavy-laden cargo bike needs to stand straight up when carrying that much weight.

I’m also glad to see some key components like hydraulic disc brakes and a torque sensor for better pedal assist.

The hydro brakes are important on heavy bikes that need more stopping power when loaded down, especially if trying to come to a quick stop on a downhill. And the torque sensor simply provides nicer, smoother pedal assist than a cadence sensor. There’s nothing wrong with cadence sensors, but torque sensors generally just give a nicer experience.

The inclusion of both parts helps differentiate the bike further from the lower-tier competition out there.

So the bike’s design is impressive already, but then the electronics sweeten the pot even further.

The rear motor is rated at 750W of continuous power, maxing out the legal limit in the US for street-legal e-bikes. But the peak power is even higher at 1,000W. I was able to easily hit speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h), though you can also limit the bike to 20 mph (32 km/h) if you want to keep it in Class 2 settings.

The motor also claims a torque rating of 69 Nm. Nice!

The bike’s single battery is a 48V 15Ah (720 Wh) unit, but you can double it to a maximum of 1,440 Wh. Depending on whether you double up, you’ll have 45 or 90 miles (72 or 144 km) of range. I tested the dual battery version, and if you use the throttle a lot or just want to have extra range, I’d recommend the second battery.

Rounding out the electronics are the new LED color display with USB charge port to charge your phone, LED headlight and tail light, and that torque sensor I mentioned above.

The last cool electronics feature is that they’ve designed the bike to work with the Lumos LED helmet, meaning you get wireless turn signals built right in. You can connect your helmet over Bluetooth in the bike’s display, and then your turn signal buttons on the bike control the helmet’s turn signals. They even power down together, so when you turn off the bike, the helmet’s lights turn off too. That’s pretty cool, and I definitely haven’t seen this feature on any other bikes in this class!

What are the downsides?

I’m a pretty positive guy, so I always have to remind myself to look for the downsides on e-bikes as well. And in this case, I have to look pretty hard. There’s not much to dislike here. Even the 70 lb weight with a single battery isn’t that bad, considering that many cargo e-bikes these days are between 80-90 lbs).

The main downside I keep coming back to is just the price, starting at $2,590. And that’s before adding all the fun accessories that make use of the cool Snap-On mounting system.

That’s a serious price tag for a direct-to-consumer electric bike. But then again, you’re getting a lot for it, including a premium design. The bike also comes with a much longer warranty period than most, offering a five-year limited warranty and free returns.

But that’s still quite expensive compared to other direct-to-consumer electric cargo bikes out there. I’d argue that you get features you don’t find elsewhere (or that you do find on e-bikes that are twice this price like Tern’s vertical parking), but you’re still paying some top dollar here. I believe the price is worth it if you’re using the bike as a car replacer for your family, or perhaps to replace a second car. But it’s the one thing that keeps coming back to me when I think about what would give me pause here, when considering the more affordable cargo e-bikes out there.

Wrap it up

So there’s what we’re working with, the MOD Cargo is a well designed e-bike with a very nice loadout of parts and features.

It’s a bit pricey, but I do believe you’re getting a heck of a lot of features and a great design for the price. There are cheaper ways to get your cargo solution solved, but they won’t do a lot of what this bike can.

So I recommend it, but only if you’ve got the extra cash to spend.

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All-new ALLPOWERS R1500 LITE station $405 (49% off), Gotrax F1 2.0 e-bike new $560 low, EcoFlow 35L GLACIER bundle low, more

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24 mins ago

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July 16, 2025

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All-new ALLPOWERS R1500 LITE station 5 (49% off), Gotrax F1 2.0 e-bike new 0 low, EcoFlow 35L GLACIER bundle low, more

We’ve got a jam-packed Green Deals with plenty of low prices in our post-Prime Day market, with today’s edition led by the preorder launch deal on ALLPOWERS’ new R1500 LITE Portable Power Station at $405. Right behind it is Gotrax’s F1 2.0 20-inch Folding e-bike with five add-on accessories hitting a new $560 low, as well as EcoFlow’s 35L GLACIER Classic Portable Fridge/Freezer with an add-on battery at a new $859 low. We also have returning low prices on several Heybike models during its current weekend flash sale, like the Mars 2.0 Folding e-bike coming with $198 in free gear at $899. We’re also seeing EGO’s 56V 25-inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer Kit back at its $269 low, and have a special one-day-only low price on Birdfy’s Feeder 2 Duo with dual cameras at $330. Plus, there’s all the hangover Prime Day savings in our Prime Day Green Deals hub at the bottom of the page, as well as yesterday’s Tenways e-bike sale, the new low price hitting DJI’s latest Power 2000 station, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

ALLPOWERS launches new R1500 LITE 1,056Wh LiFePO4 power station for preorder at $405

ALLPOWERS has launched its latest backup power solution for preorder with a significant discount through July 25. Until shipping begins, you can pick up the R1500 LITE Portable Power Station for $405 shipped, after an additional 10% savings is automatically added in your cart. This all-new unit will carry a full $799 price tag after these pre-sale savings end, with the brand offering a large 49% markdown right out of the gate, giving you $394 in savings and setting the bar for future discounts. On the same landing page, you’ll also find its many bundle options for varying sizes of accompanying solar panels.

ALLPOWERS’ new R1500 LITE station is the latest compact backup power solution from under the brand’s flag, coming with a 1,056Wh LiFePO4 capacity that is rated for over 3,500 life cycles, which would support you for over nine and a half years were you to discharge and recharge it every day. From its 12 output port options, it delivers up to 1,600W of steady juice to your devices, surging as high as 3,200W for hungrier appliances. Following a trend we’re seeing with each new power station that comes out, this one is designed to operate at “whisper-quiet” 35dB, so as not to disturb your sleep should you have it running at night.

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The ALLPOWERS R1500 LITE station provides the usual remote smart controls you’d expect, giving you the ability to monitor its charging process and adjust settings all from your smartphone via the companion app. To recharge the station’s battery, you have four options. First, a standard wall outlet can have it back to full in 1.5 hours or you could connect up to its 650W max solar input to reach a full battery in 1.6 hours. There’s also the option to plug it into your car’s auxiliary port, as well as the ability to utilize both AC and solar for hybrid fast-charging that only takes a single hour.

Gotrax F1 2.0 Folding e-bike

Gotrax’s F1 2.0 20-inch folding e-bike comes with five add-on accessories at a new $560 low

Amazon is now offering the Gotrax F1 2.0 20-inch Folding e-bike at $559.99 shipped. While it carries a $999 MSRP direct from the brand, we see it occasionally keep to $799 in full at Amazon, with discounts so far this year having kept costs down as low as $625. You’re looking at a $239 markdown off the going rate ($439 off its MSRP), giving you a solid budget-friendly commuting option at the best new price we have tracked to date.

If you want to learn more about this e-bike and this deal, you can check out the full breakdown in our original coverage here.

EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 35L Portable Fridge/Freezer bundle

EcoFlow’s 35L GLACIER Classic portable fridge/freezer comes with an add-on battery at its $859 low

EcoFlow’s official Amazon storefront is undercutting its direct pricing on the GLACIER Classic 35L Portable Fridge/Freezer with an add-on battery for $859 shipped at Amazon, while picking it up direct from the brand’s website would cost you an additional $90. This bundle package with the add-on battery usually goes for $1,098 in full, which we’ve been seeing keep down around $949 recently. Prime Day saw it hit the $859 low for the first time before rising back in price over the weekend, until now. You can pick it up here with a $239 markdown, equipping you with an ice-free option for outings at the best price we have tracked.

If you want to learn more about this electric cooler/freezer, be sure to check out our original coverage here.

Heybike Mars 2.0 folding e-bike

Heybike summer flash sale drops Mars 2.0 fat tire folding e-bike with $198 in free gear back to its $899 low (Save $798 total)

Heybike has launched a Summer Flash Sale through July 20 that is seeing many of its e-bikes return to their lowest prices alongside solid savings on others. The standout is the popular Mars 2.0 Fat Tire Folding e-bike that comes with $198 in free gear at $899 shipped. The sale is bringing costs down from its $1,499 full price tag, which we regularly see drop between $999 and $1,099 during sales, occasionally falling further to the $899 low in flash events like this one. It’s coming back around again with $798 in total savings (including the free large basket and front basket you’ll get) at the best price we have tracked. Head below for more on this model and the others we’re seeing benefit from savings.

If you want to learn more about this e-bike or the other models seeing discounts during this flash sale, be sure to check out our original coverage here.

EGO 56V 25-inch cordless hedge trimmer

EGO’s 56V 25-inch cordless hedge trimmer kit gets larger post-Prime Day savings back to its $269 low

Amazon is offering a post-Prime Day return to the lowest pricing on the EGO Power+ 56V 25-inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer Kit for $269 shipped. Normally costing $349 at full price, we saw this same rate appear a month ago and hold out until the end of June, when it rose back up for the first week of July and only fell to $300 for Prime Day. Now, with that event having ended, the costs are coming back down with $80 in total savings to the best price we have tracked.

You can learn more about this electric lawn care solution by checking our original coverage here.

Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo smart bird feeder with camera

Get up close and personal with feathered visitors through Birdfy’s Feeder 2 Duo at $330 low (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Birdfy Feeder 2 Duo with Camera at $329.99 shipped, while matching in price at Amazon. It carries a $430 MSRP direct from the brand, while sitting down lower at $420 at Best Buy. The deal we’re seeing here, which will only last through the rest of the day, gives you a 21% markdown off the going rate (23% off the MSRP), providing you with a $90 price cut ($100 off the MSRP) at the best price we can find. What’s more, this deal is coming in $20 under the direct pricing we’re seeing from the brand’s website, while over at Amazon the price is unmoved from its $

If you want to learn more about this advanced smart feeder system, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Summer EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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The new Chevy Bolt EV is coming soon and it’s getting some big upgrades

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53 mins ago

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July 16, 2025

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The new Chevy Bolt EV is coming soon and it's getting some big upgrades

new-Chevy-Bolt-EV

Chevy is bringing back the beloved affordable electric hatch. The new Chevy Bolt EV is expected to arrive later this year, featuring over 300 miles of driving range, faster charging, and more.

When will Chevy launch the new Bolt EV?

Many were sad to hear that GM was ending production of the iconic electric hatch in late 2023, but CEO Mary Barra promised a new Bolt EV was on the way.

Barra claimed the updated model would offer “an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience.” It will be based on GM’s Ultium platform, which powers current Chevy, Cadillac, GMC, and Honda electric vehicles sold in the US.

The platform will offer significantly longer driving range and faster charging speeds than the outgoing Bolt. GM also said it will use LFP batteries to lower costs.

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Although LFP batteries typically offer less range compared to NMC, the new Chevy Bolt EV is expected to arrive with over 300 miles of driving range. Given that the Chevy Silverado EV WT offers up to 492 miles of EPA-estimated range, 300 miles for the Bolt EV shouldn’t be too hard, even with LFP batteries.

new-Chevy-Bolt-EV
2022 Chevy Bolt EUV (Source: GM)

GM’s president, Mark Reuss, confirmed the new model will be a part of a “family of Bolts,” which will include an even more affordable variant.

After announcing plans to invest $4 billion in ramping up US production last month, GM said a new “next-gen affordable EV” was in development. It will be built in Kansas, alongside the new Chevy Bolt EV. Whether this model is part of the family of Bolt’s or not remains unclear.

GM-low-cost-EV-batteries
GM plans to build a “next-gen affordable EV) in Kansas (Source: GM)

With an official debut expected later this year, we’ve seen the new Bolt out for testing. Although it keeps the overall feel of the outgoing Bolt, it appears to have a more crossover-SUV look, similar to the Trax.

According to Edmunds, GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway tech will be available on the upcoming Bolt EV. In the previous generation, it was only offered on the bigger EUV model.

new-Chevy-Bolt-EV
Chevy Silverado (left), Equinox (middle), and Blazer (right) EVs at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: GM)

With some GM electric vehicles now arriving with a built-in NACS port for Tesla Supercharger access, the new Bolt will likely also feature it.

GM is set to begin production later this year, with the new Chevy Bolt EV expected to be available in mid-2026. Prices and final specs will come closer to launch, but the first model from the Bolt EV family is likely to start at a slightly higher price than the $28,785 MSRP of the outgoing model, given the upgrades.

Chevy-Equinox-EV
2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Meanwhile, Chevy already has an affordable model that’s helped it become the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. The Chevy Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV,” as GM likes to call it, starts at under $35,000. With the $7,500 EV tax credit, the price of the base LT model drops to just $27,495.

With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s no wonder the electric SUV is selling like hotcakes. GM expects the Chevy Equinox EV to be among the top-three-selling EVs by the end of 2025.

Ready to test one out for yourself? We’ve got you covered. You can use our link to find deals on the Chevy Equinox EV at a dealer near you (trusted affiliate link).

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Rivian has extended its R1 lease deals into September, with savings as high as $15,500

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July 16, 2025

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Rivian has extended its R1 lease deals into September, with savings as high as ,500

Rivian lease deals

We’ve already reached peak summertime (crazy), and your back patios aren’t the only thing heating up. Rivian has extended its lease deals, which apply to a range of R1S and R1T configurations. Combined with federal tax credits, you could save upwards of $15,000 on a new Rivian EV.

Today’s latest deals update is an extension (and a welcome one at that) of two separate lease deal programs that Rivian announced earlier this summer. In May, we reported that Rivian had begun a “Nothing But Adventure” lease offer, which covered the $6,500 down payment on the lease of any R1 EV with a dual motor configuration with the Max battery pack and performance upgrade package.

However, that deal was originally set to expire on May 31, 2025. In June, Rivian followed up with a second deal called the “Summer Adventure Offer,” which included $5,000 off the purchase or lease of a new Tri-Motor R1 EV if customers took delivery by June 30.

Below, we have broken down Rivian’s latest offers, which include revamped lease deals that have been extended through the rest of the summer.

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Rivian lease deals
Source: Rivian.com

Rivian lease deals on dual, tri motor R1S and R1T EVs

Rivian sent an email earlier today outlining details of its latest lease offers, which include multiple deals valid through September 1, 2025. That includes the previously mentioned “Nothing But Adventure” offer, which now pertains to any 2025 Tri-Motor R1S or R1T lease.

Similar to the May 2025 deal, Rivian will contribute $6,500 toward the down payment of said lease, as long as you place your order by September 1 and take delivery by September 30. Combined with the $7,500 federal EV lease credit and a $1,500 bonus from Rivian for trading in any vehicle, you can save as much as $15,500. Check out all the terms and conditions here.

Rivian’s “Summer Adventure Offer” expired last month. Still, the American automaker has followed up with a new “Summer Lease Offer” that applies to any 2025 Dual Motor R1 model with the performance upgrade. Combined with the federal credit and Rivian Energy Refresh bonus of $1,500, customers can save up to $14,000 on an R1S or R1T with a Max battery pack, and up to $12,000 with those dual models with the Large pack.

Per Rivian, the summer lease offers between $3,000 and $5,000 will be applied directly to your 2025 Dual Motor order as long as it’s on or before September 1, 2025, and delivery is taken by September 30. To peruse the lease deals, you can connect with a Rivian sales advisor or go to R1 Shop.

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