Mule

The Mule is a purpose-built backcountry hauler for hunters and off-grid riders, not a commuter. A 160 Nm Bafang M620 Ultra mid-drive means it climbs loaded fire roads and soft ground a hub motor simply can't handle. At $4,199 it's a niche tool: if you're not riding rough terrain with weight aboard, you're paying for capability you'll never use, and the pavement-only crowd should look elsewhere.

The 8.5 leans hard on motor-and-power-delivery and build-and-serviceability — the Ultra mid-drive is the strongest climber in this roundup, and four-piston hydraulics plus an air fork are proper off-road kit. Where it gives back is real-world range: the up-to-40-mile figure shrinks fast when you actually use all that torque, so value takes a hit for anyone not exploiting the drivetrain. The Class 2 tune keeps it sensible on speed and safety.

The trade-off is stark — you accept short range and a premium, niche price to get genuinely unstoppable low-speed climbing grunt. For backcountry use that's exactly the right compromise. If you want that same Bafang Ultra motor with a far bigger battery and more range, the Biktrix Juggernaut Ultra Beast is the alternative, though it's heavier, faster, and pricier.