JackRabbit just unveiled the smallest heavy-hauling cargo e-bike

JackRabbit has made a name for itself by doing things differently in the e-bike world, and now the company is taking that same unconventional approach into cargo territory. This week, the San Diego-based micromobility brand unveiled the new MG Cargo, an ultra-lightweight cargo e-bike that aims to deliver serious hauling capability without the size and weight penalty that typically comes with the category.

At just 55 lb (25 kg), the JackRabbit MG Cargo is dramatically lighter than most cargo e-bikes, which often tip the scales at 80–100 lb (36-45 kg) or more.

Yet despite its compact build, the company claims a total payload capacity of up to 500 lb (225 kg), meaning the bike can carry nearly ten times its own weight. 

That’s a striking figure, and it highlights what JackRabbit is trying to accomplish here: redefining what a cargo e-bike looks like. Instead of the longtail or front-loader designs that dominate the segment, the MG Cargo sticks closer to the brand’s signature compact, almost BMX-inspired form factor. The result is a bike that promises to be easier to ride, easier to store, and easier to live with on a daily basis.

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The folding design plays a big role in that usability. The MG Cargo can collapse down to just 8 inches (200 mm) wide, making it far more apartment-friendly or RV-friendly than traditional cargo bikes. That’s a major departure from the usual “where do I even put this thing?” problem that comes with many cargo models.

And here’s where it’s also important to point out that while I’m calling the JackRabbit MG Cargo an “e-bike”, I’m using the loosely defined, colloquial understanding of the term, since JackRabbit’s eschew the pretense of vestigial pedals in favor of minimalist footpegs.

The pedants among us will surely chew my head off in the comment section about what it means to be an e-bike, but they’re forgetting that 1) “e-bike” is a colloquial term, not a regulatory term like “electric bicycle”, and 2) what does it really matter, as long as you know where you fit in the law?

More states are adopting micromobility laws that fit a wider range of rides from standing and seated e-scooters to electric bicycles and more. At the end of the day, this is a lightweight, 20 mph (32 km/h) bike-like micromobility device. In fact, it weighs a lot less than most e-bikes we cover. So let’s all just relax and enjoy fun things. Life is short. Ride something unique like a JackRabbit. I do.

Anyway, where was I? Oh right, the tech specs.

Under the hood, the MG Cargo features a 749W motor paired with JackRabbit’s dual swappable RangeBuster battery system, offering up to 48 miles (77 km) of range. Riders can choose between multiple speed modes, topping out at 20 mph (32 km/h) on-road, though there’s also an unlockable off-road mode pushing that to 24 mph (39 km/h). 

Even with that “unlocked” extra speed, it’s not exactly pushing into hooligan territory, so I have to commend JackRabbit there on keeping things fairly reasonable. And since you always want to have as much stopping power as you have going power, hydraulic disc brakes round out the package.

The bike rides on a 24″ front tire and a 20″ rear tire, using the mullet setup to give better rollover in the front and a lower rack height in the rear. Plus, the fact that it made the unique e-bike look even slightly more bizarre than usual was probably just a bonus for the fun-loving designers over there at JackRabbit.

There’s also integrated lighting, included fenders, a wide bamboo-topped rear rack, and a ton of frame bosses for bolting accessories onto the frame and fork, lending more cargo credence to the package.

As someone who has spent a fair amount of time riding various JackRabbit models – from the tiny OG2 to the surprisingly capable two-seater MG Doble – I can say the company has a knack for making bikes that feel far more fun and practical than their specs alone might suggest (and than their compact size would otherwise imply).

Those crazy folks over at JackRabbit have consistently leaned into lightweight design and modularity, and the MG Cargo looks like a natural extension of that philosophy into a more utility-focused segment.

Speaking of modularity, JackRabbit is also launching a new accessory ecosystem called ModRabbit alongside the MG Cargo. The platform acts as a marketplace for both first-party and third-party accessories, including gear from brands like Ortlieb, Thule, and Burley. 

It’s designed to let riders customize not just the MG Cargo, but other JackRabbit models and even compatible e-bikes from different brands. From adding suspension to cargo baskets and bags to sissy bars and all sorts of other fun accessories, ModRabbit lets riders build out their JackRabbit into a one-of-a-kind machine that does exactly what they need.

At launch, JackRabbit is also offering new accessories tailored specifically to the MG Cargo, including a Copilot Kit that adds a passenger seat and handlebars for carrying a second rider, and a Side Rack Kit that expands hauling capacity with additional storage on either side of the bike.

The MG Cargo is priced at $2,499 and will be available starting today through JackRabbit’s website and its network of more than 200 dealers. 

Electrek’s Take

First of all, I love what JackRabbit is doing here, both with the MG Cargo, and in general. While many other companies are white-labeling e-bikes from Chinese parts supplier catalogs, JackRabbit is doing its own thing. Remember that girl from your high school who was a bit different, dressed with her own fashion sense, listened to her own music, and basically didn’t really care what anyone else thought, but also seemed to be having more fun than anyone else? If the e-bike world were a high school, JackRabbit would be that girl. And they’re rocking it!

So while I don’t know what the collective JackRabbit team is smoking over there in San Diego, I’d say save some for me. These e-bikes might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they sure are mine!

And the fact that JackRabbit has managed to keep going “bigger” without really going big or bulky deserves some kudos, too. Cargo e-bikes have exploded in popularity over the last few years, but they’ve also gotten bigger, heavier, and more expensive in the process. JackRabbit’s MG Cargo feels like a deliberate push in the opposite direction, giving us more carrying capacity without taking up too much space in our lives. If you can fit two cargo bikes behind the front seats of your car like the image above, that’s pretty wild.

Sure, I love my smaller JackRabbit, but I’ve long wished I could carry a bit more on it. A cargo version may increase the poundage a bit over the traditional smaller OG2 JackRabbit, but it still keeps it much smaller and lighter than any other cargo e-bike I know, and folding down to just 8″ wide is a gamechanger for anyone who needs to put it in a vehicle or stash it in an apartment where their wife is already on edge about all of their e-bikes even though they specifically told her that this is their day job and so I neeeeed all my bikes and besides I use them or at least most of them so it’s not like her collection of shoes which I haven’t really seen her wear most of them in a while though if I’m being honest I can’t really tell them apart so for all I know she probably could be wearing them but if you think about it does she really know how many e-bikes I have because they probably all look the same to her too but it turns out that was a mistake because she’s much more observant and detail-oriented than I am and besides she says the JackRabbit is the bright yellow one that looks ridiculous so there’s no hiding it from her anyway. So yeah, people in apartments.

The only kicker is the price, which is pretty darn pricey compared to many other cargo e-bikes with similar speeds and ranges. So you’re not buying a JackRabbit MG Cargo purely for bang-for-buck, but rather because it gives you something others don’t: compactness and a unique ride. If that’s what you’re after, I’d say they nailed it. But if you want the most watts for the fewest dollars, well, that’s never been a game that JackRabbit has lined up to play.

Long story short: if the bike can truly deliver on that promised combination of low weight and high payload without compromising ride quality or stability, I’d say that this could open the door to a new kind of cargo bike – one that’s actually accessible to people who don’t have a garage, a ton of storage space, or the desire to wrestle with a 100 lb machine. And knowing JackRabbit’s track record, there’s a good chance this one will be just as fun as it is functional.