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The Rungu Double-Wheel e-Bike Brings Serious Power to Off-roading

The e-bike market has seen such diverse releases that, today, you can honestly say there’s something for everyone, for every purpose and every budget. You can even get an e-bike that aims to replace an ATV.
The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349 8 photos
Photo: Rungu
The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at $4,399 and goes all the way up to $7,349
That bike is called Rungu, with Rungu being a maker from California that builds every machine in the U.S., albeit from imported parts. Rungu has been on the scene for some six years now but if you haven’t heard about it yet, it’s because it’s offering a very niche product: a three-wheleed electric bicycle that’s made for serious off-roading.

Though dubbed an e-bike, Rungu is actually an electric trike, with patented dual forks in the front, with 26-inch wheels. The dual wheel in the front offers extra stability on even the most difficult terrain, more grip and increased contact surface, which makes it fly over soft sand or snow (up to 9 inches / 22.8 cm of it), can go through thick mud and loose gravel, and over rocks without issue.

The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at \$4,399 and goes all the way up to \$7,349
Photo: Rungu
Using Ackerman steering, the double wheels at the front stand 9 inches (22.8 cm) apart. The wheelbase is longer than on a standard fat-tire bike, for a low center of gravity and to keep the rider from touching the wheels on sharp turns. Rungu boasts that the double-wheel configuration is what makes it stand apart from other fat-tire e-bikes.

And that’s not all that Rungu boasts of having accomplished with this bike. Because it’s lighter than an ATV and doesn’t need gas, expensive maintenance or entails additional costs, but it still has a 300-pound (136-kg) towing capacity and is light enough to lift over obstacles, it can actually be a suitable, more convenient alternative to ATVs and dirtbikes. As such, it’s ideal for off-roading, on hunting trips or for use by the military.

Rungu actually offers an entire lineup of trikes based on the same concept of a longer wheelbase with a dual front wheel configuration. A couple of them are non-electric (the Kilimanjaro and the Juggernaut) and they’re made to give you a real workout when taking them off-road, and several are electric (Dualie, the Dualie XR and the Juggernaut electric). All models are fully customizable depending on what you need it for.

The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at \$4,399 and goes all the way up to \$7,349
Photo: Rungu
In the highest-power configuration, available on the Dualie XR, you get a 1,120W Bafang mid-drive motor and dual 52V 15 Ah removable Li-ion batteries that are good for 32 miles (51.4 km) of off-roading on torque alone, on a single charge. Take this beast on the road or use pedal-assist, and you get double that range. Top speed is of 23 mph (37 kph), with a total supported weight of 332 pounds (150.5 kg) and, as noted above, 300 pounds (136 kg) of towing weight. The bike itself weighs some 110 pounds (49.8 kg).

With its ability to climb a 40 percent grade, the Rungu is right at home in every type of scenario. Stopping power is delivered by triple hydraulic brakes, while independent suspension on the front wheels makes most bumpy rides feel smoother.

Speaking of bumpy rides, approaching this kind of treacherous terrain means some sort of guarantee against flats. Rungu offers APF (Anti-pinch flat) tire liners that come as standard for the heavier products, the XR (extra range) models.

The Rungu Dualie XR electric trike starts at \$4,399 and goes all the way up to \$7,349
Photo: Rungu
Such a serious off-roading ability doesn’t come cheap – you can see the Rungu being tested out in California’s Rubicon Trail in one of the videos available at the bottom of the page. Pricing for the base, non-electric model starts at $2,599 while the electric version starts at $4,399. However – and here’s to hoping you’re sitting down for this – you could end up paying as much as $7,349 for the top-of-the-range electric version.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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