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The weirdest and wildest electric bikes and other personal EVs I tested this year

This year was jam-packed with all sorts of fun electric bikes, e-scooters, electric four-wheelers, and other hard-to-classify electric vehicles.

While many e-bikes and other light electric vehicles follow a familiar formula, these are some of the weirdest and most out-of-the-box personal electric vehicles that I had the opportunity to test this year.

Jackrabbit

I’ve spent all year struggling to find a name for this thing. It’s not an e-bike since it doesn’t have pedals, but it feels wrong to call it an e-scooter.

No matter what you call it, this little EV is a ton of fun.

It’s shaped mostly like an e-bike, which means it has 20″ wheels, handlebars like an e-bike, and even a bicycle saddle. But the design also has a super short wheelbase and a tiny battery, keeping it down to a svelte 23 pounds.

Despite the low weight, it’s surprisingly powerful and even gets up to a sprightly 20 mph! That’s not bad for an EV I can lift with one finger.

And the fact that it comes in at just $999 is the icing on the cake.

If you want to get all the nitty-gritty details about this awesome little weird-mobile, check out my complete review. Or for the quick version, watch my video review below!

Mod Easy Sidecar

This one also technically isn’t an electric bike – it’s an electric trike!

The Mod Easy e-bike gets an added sidecar to turn it into the coolest e-trike I’ve ever had the pleasure of testing.

The old-school, vintage design pairs beautifully with the utility of a sidecar, making this a great cargo and passenger EV.

mod easy sidecar e-bike

You can comfortably pedal the bike while your passenger (human or canine) rides along for free, or you can use the throttle to make the ride as effortless for you as it is for your passenger.

It’s not cheap at $4,199, but I have to imagine that anyone buying a Mod Easy Sidecar is doing it half for the look and half for the functionality. It’s a statement as much as it is a utilitarian purchase.

I had an absolute blast on this thing, and you’ll definitely want to check out my video of it in action below.

Voro Motors Roadrunner

Technically this one is probably considered an electric scooter, but it feels more like an electric minibike.

The small-format EV has a bench seat, a narrow set of handlebars, and a pair of motors to give it all-wheel-drive.

The entire thing is built around a massive battery, making it feel like you’re basically riding the battery itself.

The craziest part of this whole thing is that the little scooter gets up to an impressive 34 mph, which seems like way faster than it has any business going, but is also such a fun ride that I’m not complaining. I described it as feeling something like flying down the road on a step stool.

Most e-bikes or e-scooters that can hit those speeds are bigger, bulkier contraptions with more heft than necessary.

The Voro Motors Roadrunner strips off everything you don’t need while still leaving some important considerations like front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and plenty of power.

And at just $1,495, it’s surprisingly affordable too!

Read my detailed review for the complete specs or check out my video review below!

Tesla Cyberquad for Kids

We’re going to briefly ignore the fact that the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids was recalled after a grown woman fell off one and got a bruise (and after the CPSC ruled that it was an ATV and not a toy, and thus didn’t have the requisite “ATV Action Plan” that is required before selling an ATV).

Even so, the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids is one of the coolest mini-EVs I’ve tested all year.

Tesla Cyberquad for kids

It looks just like the Cyberquad unveiled so many years ago by Tesla, but in a scaled-down version for kids. This isn’t some cheap WalMart toy though – it’s actually pretty powerful with a 36V Li-ion battery and a 500W chain-driving motor.

There’s even a cable-pull disc brake, speed selector, and reverse function.

The whole thing feels much more solid than you’d expect, and I even abused it while surpassing its weight rating. For (actual) kids, the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids is more than enough for a good time!

See it in action with me and my nephews in the video below, or read my complete review here.

InMotion V5

If you’ve never ridden an electric unicycle before then… well, maybe that’s for the best.

These things take a little while to learn, though it turns out that they’re super convenient little EVs once you finally get it. So if you don’t mind falling off a bunch in the beginning, they just might be worth your while to test out.

The InMotion V5 electric unicycle is a great starter wheel since it isn’t overly fast or powerful, but it’s certainly enough to commute around town in the bike lane or on the sidewalk (where allowed).

You’ve just got to put in the many days of jumping on and falling off until your brain learns to balance on them.

I showed how the learning process works my video review below, but you should also check out my written review for more details.

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Author

Avatar for Micah Toll Micah Toll

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

You can send Micah tips at Micah@electrek.co, or find him on Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.