Quick answer
The Jackery Explorer 240 v2 is a 256Wh LiFePO4 power station with 300W continuous AC output (600W surge) that typically lists for $249, with Amazon sale pricing dropping it to $179 in recent cycles. It replaces the long-running, now-discontinued original Explorer 240 (240Wh, lithium-ion, 200W/400W, roughly 500 rated cycles) with a battery that’s bigger, more powerful, and rated for six times the cycle life, per Jackery’s own published specs. The one number that moved the wrong way: weight, up from about 6.6 lb to 7.9 lb, since the denser LiFePO4 cells trade some portability for that longevity gain.
This capacity tier sits below every other Jackery model we’ve reviewed on this site, including the Explorer 300 v2. This review covers what actually changed between the original 240 and the v2, and who the smallest station in Jackery’s current lineup is actually for.
At a glance
| Spec | Jackery Explorer 240 v2 | Jackery Explorer 240 (original, discontinued) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 256Wh LiFePO4 | 240Wh lithium-ion (NMC) |
| AC output | 300W continuous (600W surge) | 200W continuous (400W peak) |
| Wall recharge, 0-100% | ~2 hr (as fast as 1 hr with app-activated fast charging) | ~5.5 hr |
| Cycle life | 3,000 to 80% capacity | ~500 to 80% capacity |
| Weight | ~3.6 kg (7.9 lb) | ~3 kg (6.6 lb) |
| Ports | 100W USB-C, 15W USB-C, USB-A | 2x USB-A, 12V car port |
| Price | ~$249 list, sales to $179 | ~$200-300 (discontinued, retailer stock only) |
What we like
- Six times the rated cycle life. Jackery’s 3,000-cycle rating for the v2’s LiFePO4 pack dwarfs the original’s roughly 500-cycle NMC rating — the difference between a station that’s still healthy after a decade of regular use and one that noticeably fades within a couple of camping seasons.
- 50% more continuous output. 300W continuous (600W surge) versus the original’s 200W (400W peak) means the v2 can actually run a CPAP machine or a laptop charger with headroom left over, not just phones and small USB devices.
- A real USB-C fast-charge port. The 100W USB-C output can top off a laptop directly — the original shipped with USB-A ports only, before USB-C power delivery was standard on budget stations.
- Genuinely faster to recharge. A roughly 2-hour wall recharge (or about 1 hour with app-activated fast charging, per Jackery’s own listing) beats the original’s roughly 5.5-hour figure by a wide margin.
Where it falls short
- Heavier than the station it replaces. At 3.6 kg versus the original’s 3 kg, the v2 gained about 0.6 kg (1.3 lb) — a real trade-off most buyers don’t expect from a “v2” that improved everything else. LiFePO4 cells are typically denser and heavier per watt-hour than the NMC chemistry they replace, and this is one of the few spots on this site where that trade-off shows up as a downgrade rather than a wash.
- Still the smallest capacity Jackery sells. At 256Wh and 300W continuous, it’s built for phones, lights, and small electronics over a weekend — not a mini-fridge or power tools. Buyers who need more headroom should look at the Explorer 300 v2 (288Wh, same 300W/600W output) or step up a full tier to the Explorer 500 (512Wh, 500W/1,000W).
- No expansion-battery option. Unlike Jackery’s 1kWh-and-up models, the 240 v2 is a standalone unit with no add-on battery pathway if your needs grow.
Who should buy it
Buy the Explorer 240 v2 if you want the smallest, lightest power station Jackery currently sells for phones, lights, a CPAP machine, or light camping use, and you’re replacing an aging original Explorer 240 or buying your first station on a tight budget. The jump from 500 to 3,000 rated cycles alone justifies choosing the v2 over any remaining original-Explorer-240 retailer stock, even before counting the output and charging-speed gains. If you need to run anything bigger than small electronics — a space heater, a full-size fridge, or power tools — the Explorer 300 v2 costs little more and nearly matches this unit’s output, or see our best power station for camping roundup for the full range of compact options. For the complete lineup across every Jackery capacity class, see our best Jackery power station guide.
Jackery Explorer 240 v2 (256Wh)
- 300W continuous AC output, 600W surge — 50% more than the discontinued original's 200W rating.
- Wall recharge to 100% in about 2 hours, or as fast as 1 hour with app-activated fast charging.
- 3,000-cycle LiFePO4 pack to 80% capacity — six times the original's roughly 500-cycle rating.
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The bottom line
The Jackery Explorer 240 v2 is a genuine, across-the-board upgrade over the discontinued original Explorer 240 — more capacity, more output, a dramatically longer-rated battery, and faster charging, at a similar or lower price once sale cycles kick in. The only spec that moved backward is weight, up about 1.3 lb as a direct consequence of the denser LiFePO4 chemistry that delivers the cycle-life gain — a trade-off worth knowing about rather than a reason to skip it. For anyone who wants Jackery’s smallest footprint and lowest price point, the v2 is the clear buy over any remaining original stock. See our full portable power station rankings for how it compares against every class of unit, from pocket-sized models like this one up to whole-home backup systems.