JackRabbit XG review: Testing the bigger and bolder little e-bike
The JackRabbit XG is basically the stronger, bigger brother of the famous little JackRabbit micro e-bike, and I had the chance to test one out to see how well a tiny little EV could work for the average commuter. As it turns out, little is big these days!
JackRabbit is well known in the micromobility industry for its pint-sized urban runabouts. The brand’s diminutive 25 lb mini two-wheelers look like a micro take on a more or less conventional e-bike, yet despite their small size they still offer 20 mph speeds and enough range for most urban riders.
But just because the brand has long focused on being as small and lightweight as possible doesn’t mean they don’t also have aspirations for power and features. That was the idea behind the JackRabbit XG: take everything people know and love about a tiny JackRabbit and hotrod it into even more “oomph” in a mini package.
Check out what it’s like to throw a leg over one of these fun little rides in my video review below. Then keep on reading afterward for even more!
JackRabbit XG video review
JackRabbit XG tech specs
- Motor: 500W geared rear hub motor
- Top speed: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Range: 32+ km (20+ mi)
- Battery: Dual 151 Wh batteries, plus the option to replace with larger RangeBuster batteries
- Max load: 125 kg (275 lb)
- Bike weight: 14.5 kg (32 lb)
- Brakes: Front and rear mechanical disc brakes
- Tires: 20″ x 2.4″ in front and rear
- Price: $1,749
- Extras: Thumb throttle, rotatable handlebars, foldout foot pegs, bell, LCD display, kickstand, dual battery slots, optional fenders and other accessories
What is it for?
Since the JackRabbit XG is not an e-bike in the traditional sense (lacking functional pedals in favor of foot pegs), you’re obviously not going to choose a JackRabbit if you’re looking for exercise. Instead, this is purely a get-around-town type of ride, and probably also a have-some-fun-while-doing-it ride, too.
I’ll call it a micro e-bike since that’s how JackRabbit classifies it, but you wouldn’t be wrong to call it seated electric scooter, either.
Compared to the typical standing electric scooters we usually think of, the JackRabbit XG has a lot of major advantages. The wheels are bicycle-sized, giving it a much better ride over rougher terrain and streets with pot holes. The seat and handlebars will also feel more familiar to anyone with bike experience. Yet despite ‘feeling’ like a bike, it has the lightweight portability of a scooter, truly offering the best of both worlds.
I really like the sideways spinning handlebars since they can rotate 90 degrees and shrink the width of the JackRabbit to just 7-inches (when you also fold up the foot pegs).
It only takes a few seconds and suddenly the micro e-bike is extra micro. With the bars turned, it would easily hide away under a twin bed, such as in a college dorm room.
It could also be stashed behind a couch or in the back of a closet without taking up much room for itself.
The major upgrades
I’ve spent a lot of time on JackRabbit’s smaller and more affordable micro e-bike, so it was interesting for me to compare the JackRabbit XG’s bigger size and increased features.
The biggest upgrades are likely the size of the frame and the dual battery slots.
The bigger frame gives you more space to stretch out by putting the handlebars a bit further out in front of you, and also makes the bike more robust to allow a higher weight rating of up to 275 lb.
The dual battery slots mean the bike comes with an out-of-the-box range of 20 miles instead of 10 miles.
For riders who want even more range, one or two RangeBuster batteries seen above can be swapped into those battery slots, giving riders up to 48 miles of range (or even more, if you bring the original batteries with you in your pocket or bag!).
It’s important to note that the batteries are also UL-compliant, which is critical these days for ensuring battery safety. And if you stick with the smaller batteries, their sub 160Wh rating means you may be able to bring them on many domestic airlines in your carry-on luggage (but you should check with the airline first, as batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh sometimes require advance permission).
Last year I flew through several cities with my JackRabbit OG, and its 151 Wh battery stayed safely with me in my carry-on the whole time!
But the dual battery slots and larger frame are really just scratching the surface of all the upgrades. There’s a lot more here than meets the eye.
The new display is much nicer to use, finally giving more data than the original simple LED dot display, and it now gives controls for things like LED lights.
Speaking of those lights, they’re finally available to help keep you illuminated at night for others to see you on the road! And since they run off the main battery, you don’t have to worry about charging up separate LED light batteries.
The bigger 500W motor is another nice addition since it allows for better acceleration and also more powerful hill climbing. The speed is still limited to 20 mph, but that’s fine by me. With a wheelbase this short, you probably don’t want to be hitting Class 3 speeds anyway. I don’t have any big hills around me, but I imagine bombing down a huge hill on this thing at well over 20 mph would be a bit iffy.
The new dual brakes offer more powerful stopping as well, which is nice when you have a more powerful motor. You never want to have more ‘go’ then you have ‘stop’.
There are even more interesting accessories you can add now, such as higher handle bars and a rear strut fender for keeping the puddle spray off of your back.
Basically, it feels like a lot of thought went into the new designs! Since this isn’t some out-of-the-catalog white labeled e-bike, they likely had to design a lot of this stuff from scratch without the benefit of dozens of other e-bike companies using the same parts first.
One change that doesn’t thrill me though is replacing the keyed lock for the batteries with a thumb screw lock.
On the one hand, it sure does make it easier to swap your battery out when you want to. On the other hand, it sure does make it easier for a thief to steal your battery if you lock your bike outside and don’t bring the batteries in with you.
Of course when the batteries are this small, you can easily put them in your bag to bring them inside. But I still would like the option to lock them so I’m not obligated to bring them in with me all of the time.
Fortunately, JackRabbit does give us a keylock accessory on their site if you want to swap out the thumb locks, but you’ve got to pony up an additional $25 per lock.
But what about the price?
Yep, here’s the kicker. Oh lordy, it’s priced at $1,749. That’s some serious dough!
I had gotten so used to the $999 price of the smaller JackRabbit OG that the significantly higher cost of the XG really slaps you across the face.
On the one hand, JackRabbit doesn’t get the benefit of using lots of pre-existing bike parts that they can simply select out of catalogs. Sure, some things like tires and motors are the same. But many other parts like the frame, handlebar mechanism, and unique batteries all have to be custom made for JackRabbit. So I understand that they aren’t getting the same economies of scale that bring us ultra-cheap electric bikes.
But at the same time, I know there are people out there who compare watts per dollar as their main metric, and JackRabbit will never win there. If you’re looking for the fastest or longest range ride for the least money, this ain’t it. You can leave now.
If you’re still here, then you obviously are open to other features and advantages of specific e-bikes, and that’s exactly what JackRabbit is about. Sure, you pay a premium, but you get a super lightweight and easy-to-ride micro e-bike that folds up to a mere 7 inches wide. For some people, that’s worth the premium. And if it’s not, then I still recommend checking out the OG and OG2 models from JackRabbit for $999 and $1,299. You don’t get dual batteries or some of the other features, but the prices are better and you still get a lot of the benefits found in the XG like the small size and peppy speed.
If you’ve got the cash though, the JackRabbit XG is a seriously fun ride and offers way more features than I ever expected from such a small, minimalist little e-bike.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
A new review of US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data by the SUN DAY Campaign reveals that solar delivered almost 9% of US electricity in the first half of 2025. Wind and solar combined produced just over one-fifth of the country’s electricity, while renewables as a whole hit nearly 28%.
Solar’s record-breaking growth
EIA’s latest monthly Electric Power Monthly report (with data through June 30, 2025) confirms that solar kept its streak as the fastest-growing major source of US electricity. In June 2025 alone, solar soared. Utility-scale solar power plants cranked out 30.1% more electricity than in June 2024, while rooftop and other small-scale solar systems grew by 10.5%. Combined, solar generation jumped 25% year-over-year and made up 10.2% of US electricity that month.
Looking at the first six months of 2025, utility-scale solar expanded by 37.6%, and small-scale systems rose 10.7%. Together, they grew nearly one-third (29.7%) compared to the same period in 2024. That meant solar provided 8.7% of all US electricity in January-June, up from 6.9% the year before.
That’s a milestone: Solar is now producing almost 45% more electricity than hydropower (6.0%), and it’s generating more than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
Wind is still a front-runner
Wind turbines supplied 11.6% of US electricity in the first half of 2025 — a 2.4% boost compared to the same time in 2024. Wind’s output was almost double hydropower’s contribution.
Wind + solar are beating coal and nuclear
Together, wind and solar accounted for 20.3% of total US electricity in the first half of 2025, up from 18.6% last year. That’s a bigger share than coal or nuclear. In fact, wind and solar generated 25% more electricity than coal and 15.6% more than nuclear over the same period.
Renewables overall are surging
All renewable sources combined – wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal – generated 27.7% of US electricity from January through June 2025, up from 26.1% a year ago. Their output grew three times faster than total US electricity generation overall (9.2% vs. 3.0%). Renewables are now second only to natural gas, whose generation actually dropped 3.7% in the first half of the year.
Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, added that this growth happened before the passage of the Trump/Republican “megabill,” which could slow future renewable expansion. “Nonetheless, EIA notes that US developers expect half of new electric generating capacity to come from solar in 2025 and another 13% from wind.”
Read more: EIA: Solar outproduced wind for the first time ever in May
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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.
The new and improved Hyundai IONIQ 5, or the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV? Which electric SUV makes the smarter lease? Here’s the rundown.
Over 607,000 electric vehicles were sold in the US in the first half of 2025, thanks to some big discounts. Many automakers are currently offering generous savings, as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is set to end federal EV incentives at the end of September.
According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, EV incentives reached a record of nearly $8,500 in June, or about 15% off the average transaction price (ATP).
That’s more than double the incentives offered on gas-powered vehicles. Seven electric vehicles had an ATP below $40,000, including the Chevy Equinox EV. The Equinox EV was the top-selling EV in the price range.
Starting at just $34,995, GM calls it “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV.” The electric Equinox has already propelled Chevy to become the number two EV brand in the US behind Tesla.
Through the first half of the year, the Chevy Equinox EV accounted for nearly a third of GM’s electric vehicle sales. And it could have sold even more. A dealer in California reached out to Electrek, claiming they had to wait over a month to receive Equinox EV models. It’s now on track to be among the top three selling EVs in the US.
Which EV to lease: Chevy Equinox EV or Hyundai IONIQ 5
With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s no wonder the electric SUV is flying off the lot. The offer is for 24 months with $3,909 due at signing.
Alternatively, you can opt for 0% APR financing for 60 months, which Chevy is offering on all 2025 electric vehicle models.
| 2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim | Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range | Monthly lease Price (August 2025) |
| LT FWD | $34,995 | 319 miles | $289 |
| LT AWD | $40,295 | 307 miles | $351 |
| RS FWD | $45,790 | 319 miles | $416 |
| RS AWD | $49,090 | 307 miles | $453 |
The base 2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT starts at $34,995 with up to 319 miles of range. The interior boasts up to 57.2 cu ft of space and a 17.7″ infotainment screen.
How does it compare to the IONIQ 5? Hyundai has upgraded its best-selling electric SUV with major improvements, including increased range (now up to 318 miles), a revamped interior and exterior, and a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers.
After cutting lease prices again last month, the new and improved 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is now listed at just $179 per month.
In some places, such as California and other ZEV states, Hyundai is offering leases starting at as low as $159 per month.
However, that’s for the base SE mode, which has an EPA-estimated driving range of 245 miles. The longer-range IONIQ 5 SE RWD, with 318 miles range, can still be leased for just $199 per month right now. Both offers are for 24 months with $3,999 due at signing.
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim | EV Powertrain | Driving Range (miles) | Starting Price* | Monthly lease price August 2025 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | 168-horsepower rear motor | 245 | $42,500 | $179 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $46,550 | $199 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $49,500 | $209 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $54,200 | $309 |
| IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $50,050 | $249 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $53,000 | $259 |
| IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD | 320 horsepower dual motor | 259 | $55,400 | $359 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 269 | $58,100 | $299 |
Hyundai is also throwing in a complimentary ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5. All IONIQ 5 trims are listed with 1.99% APR financing for up to 60 months.
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers up to 59.3 cu ft of cargo space with a dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment system setup.
Both the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Chevy Equinox EV are hard to pass up right now, with lease prices expected to be as low as they will ever be.
Looking to snag the savings while they last? You can use our links below to find offers on the Chevy Equinox EV and Hyundai IONIQ 5 near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Nissan has officially confirmed the icon will be making a comeback. Although Nissan is no longer building GT-R models, CEO Ivan Espinosa said Godzilla will “evolve and reemerge” in the future. Here’s what we know so far.
Nissan confirms the GT-R will evolve and reemerge
It seems like we’ve been talking about the next-gen Nissan GT-R for years now. After the last model rolled off the production line at the automaker’s Tochigi plant in Japan on Tuesday, Nissan’s CEO made it clear that the GT-R will be making a comeback.
After bidding farewell to the R35, Espinosa gave the many GT-R fans worldwide hope, saying, “I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever.”
He added that it’s Nissan’s “goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return.” Although this is the end of the line for the R35, the company remains committed to the GT-R nameplate and wants to “reimagine it for a new generation.”
According to Espinosa, Nissan doesn’t have any finalized plans yet, but he promised that “the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”
Nissan says the next Godzilla will ensure the GT-R’s legacy lives on, but will pack even more performance. The big question is, what type of powertrain will it arrive with? Will it be electric? A hybrid? Or, will it still be gas-powered?
At the New York Auto Show in April, Ponz Pandikuthira, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, told The Drive that the next GT-R will be a hybrid, rather than an all-electric.
However, Nissan previewed an electric GT-R a few years ago with the Hyper Force EV concept. The electric sports car concept was promoted as a “game-changing hyper EV” with over 1,300 horsepower (1,000 kW).
All that power is expected to come from solid-state batteries. Just last week, Nissan secured a partnership with LiCAP Technologies to produce all-solid-state EV batteries on a mass scale, one of the biggest hurdles to getting the new technology to market.
Since Nissan aims to launch its first EV powered by solid-state batteries in 2028, we could see the GT-R reemerge as a plug-in hybrid until the technology is ready.
Either way, it will likely be a few years before we see an electrified Godzilla. If it evolves into an EV or hybrid, it remains up in the air for now.
While Nissan says an all-electric GT-R won’t deliver the performance needed to live up to the nameplate, others are proving otherwise. BYD’s first electric supercar, the Yangwang U9, set a new EV speed record this week after hitting nearly 300 mph.
How do you feel about it? Should the GT-R go all-electric? Or will Nissan settle for a hybrid? Drop us a comment below and let us know which one you’d buy.
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
-
Environment11 months agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024