I am not an obvious target customer for a cargo ebike, as I neither have kids to tote nor a large space for bike parking. But the new JackRabbit MG Cargo is so tiny, it doesn't conjure the dully utilitarian, heedlessly bulky nature that's common to other cargo ebike models. In fact, when I tested the wee, plucky ebike, I found its fat tires and tiny wheelbase make it feel more like a speedy urban dirt bike than anything else.

But despite being a relative lightweight (55 pounds) and petite enough to fit in the back seat of my old Montero, the MG sports 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 this claim, which 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.

After testing this MG for a couple of months, I no longer use my car when I need groceries, even when I'm taking a longer trek to the Grocery Outlet for discount steaks or salmon. The same is true when I want to haul a slushie machine across Portland’s steep mid-city ridge to a friend's house for cheeky weekday margaritas.

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