JackRabbit, maker of pint-sized electric microbikes, is back with a new product designed to recharge their batteries from clean, uncut photons directed at the e-bike directly from the sun. In a true form of independent charging, the Solar Charging Kit from JackRabbit keeps riders rolling even when there's no visible AC feature.
Launched this week, the Solar Charging Kit consists of a single foldable solar panel and a small power inverter configured to output 42.0V, which is the exact voltage required by JackRabbit's mini bike batteries. There's also an additional USB-A and USB-C charging port for powering other devices in addition to charging JackRabbit batteries.
“This Solar Charging Kit connects directly to your bike,” explains the company, “allowing you to recharge without needing an outlet, but at a speed comparable to the charger that comes with the OG/OG2 (42V, 2A).”
That would mean the panel puts out around 80W of solar power, which the company says can charge its batteries in just three hours. That fast charging speed is helped by the fact that JackRabbit batteries are just 151 Wh, or about a third the size of most e-bike batteries.
If that sounds small, then you're right – it is. But JackRabbit is all about going slow, offering lightweight 25 lb rides that are easy to store and bring adventure, even if they aren't actually ridden.
With small batteries that fit under the 160Wh limit of most US aircraft, the batteries can be charged quickly and taken to a much wider number of locations. And for riders who want to go farther than a single 16-kilometer (16-km) battery will allow, additional batteries are small enough to fit in a pants pocket. The company also offers larger Rangebuster batteries, though they won't pass through TSA and fit on the plane in your personal carry-on.
It sounds like the Solar Chargking Kit should be able to charge the JackRabbit's massive RangeBuster batteries, though it's possible in over three hours.
The $349 Solar Charger Kit costs less than building something similar yourself, but it's also safer and easier than hacking your own battery charger since it's designed to work with JackRabbit batteries out of the box.
Technically it's only intended for small JackRabbit bikes (themselves are technically seated scooters, even if they look and feel like a regular bike), but they can work on almost any 36V e-bike that requires 42.0V charging.
This isn't the first time we've seen solar charging kits for electric bikes, and the trend is popular with outdoor enthusiasts, festival goers, and anyone who finds themselves and their bikes spending a lot of time in the nice, sunny outdoors.
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