There is a new type of bicycle that can be a great alternative to the car. It is called an electric cargo bike. This type of electric bike is built to carry a significant amount of cargo which could be groceries, kids, ladder, tools, pizza, books, etc. Which are things that someone may use their car to pickup on a typical errand run.
Cargo bicycle without electric assist have been around for a while and they make great utility bikes on their own. With electric bikes gaining in popularity the combination of carrying cargo without having to work extremely hard to get that cargo up hill has become very attractive to a number of people.
Some bicycle manufacturer’s have begun to offer complete electric cargo bikes for sale. Another option is to buy a cargo bike and add an electric bike conversion kit to the bicycle.
In the coming years more complete e-cargo bikes will probably hit the market as more people look for ways to reduce the amount of miles they put on their cars for in town driving. City driving is hardest on an automobile in terms of gas mileage and wear and tear.
A traditional type of cargo bike has a longer wheelbase and provides large bags on the long rack on the back of the bicycle. Other cargo bikes uses baskets on both the front and back of the bicycle to provide storage areas.
Cargo bike designs are currently being refined and the real difficulty is designing a bicycle that can carry weight and still provide a well balanced ride similar to a traditional bicycle. The coming years should see continued development in the cargo bike designs.
Keep your eyes on the electric cargo bike niche in the biking world because we may see more of these lightweight electric vehicles on the road!