Skip to main content

The Ripper ATV is a motorized skateboard that thinks it’s a Jeep Wrangler

The e-scooters that have become part of the landscape in nearly every major American city were designed specifically to excel in an urban environment. You wouldn’t get very far if you tried to take one off the pavement, and yet riding a scooter through the woods sounds like a blast. That’s where the Ripper ATV developed by Rogue Power comes in.

Recommended Videos

If an e-scooter is a BMW i3, the Ripper ATV is a Jeep Wrangler with a lift kit and fat tires. It has four wheels like the skateboard-scooter hybrid Audi recently unveiled, and a folding, T-shaped handlebar lets the rider accelerate, brake, and turn while remaining standing. Unlike a scooter, the four wheels are suspended for comfort and maneuverability over rough terrain, and the shocks are adjustable. It looks equal parts fun and capable. It’s also likely more than a little bit rear-heavy, so we wouldn’t try to go ride up too steep of an incline with it.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The Ripper ATV sounds just like a lawn mower, because it’s powered by a lawn mower engine. Power comes from a 163cc, four-stroke single-cylinder engine manufactured by Honda, according to Jalopnik. Carbureted and air-cooled for maximum simplicity, it makes 4.3 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 7.1 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm. You know you’re talking about low outputs when decimals are required, but a four-horsepower engine is sufficient to power a vehicle that tips the scale at 212 pounds.

Add a rider and gear (the Ripper has two storage racks) and four horsepower begins to sound a little bit weak. At least the Ripper is relatively compact. It measures 52 inches from end to end, and the handlebars fold flat, so three ATVs fit in the back of a full-size pickup like the Ford F-150. You might need a buddy (or three) to help you carry them out, though.

Off-roading on a scooter isn’t cheap, and the market isn’t exactly full of Ripper ATV alternatives; it might be your only option. Made in the United States, the Ripper ATV starts at $3,495. The list of options includes a seat, which adds $300 to the price, and a hunter-friendly camouflaged paint job priced at $250.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Costco, Electrify America add EV-charging stations in three states
costco electrify america add 50 ev charging stations in three states ea chargers 1280

Costco, which had abandoned offering EV charging 12 years ago, is getting serious about resuming the service.

Over a month ago, the big-box retailer once again put its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington, that was made by Electric Era .

Read more
Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work
Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Read more
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more