Tiny Cargo Ebike Hauls Nine Times Its Weight, Still Fits in a Montero

I am not the obvious target customer for a cargo ebike. No kids to tote, no sprawling garage to park it in. But the new JackRabbit MG Cargo is so tiny it doesn't radiate the dull, utilitarian bulk that plagues most cargo ebikes. In fact, when I tested this wee, plucky thing, its fat tires and tiny wheelbase made it feel more like a speedy urban dirt bike than a hauler.

Yet despite weighing just 55 pounds and being petite enough to fit in the back seat of my old Montero, the MG packs a 750-watt motor that can haul nine times the bike's weight uphill. I even threw a grill onto a bike trailer to test that claim, and it held up.

Note that like all JackRabbits WIRED testers have reviewed, the MG is less an ebike than a scooter that looks and acts like an ebike. Instead of pedals, you get pedal-like footrests, plus a throttle. This means when the battery runs out, the bike stops moving. Also, the listed 48-mile range drops considerably when you ride at top speed or haul a large load.

Nonetheless, the MG may have converted me to the pannier class.