Ensuring the accelerated adoption of electric bikes entails not only ensuring that there are lots of e-bikes for consumers to choose from. It’s also about building the infrastructure around the idea of using e-bikes as a primary form of mobility. All across the globe, we’re seeing more and more bike-focused infrastructure popping up, all of which paving the way for more people to hit the road on active mobility devices.
We’ve talked about a lot of these e-bike-focused initiatives in great detail in the past. From the ambitious bike highway in Dubai, to the bike-focused parking structures in the Netherlands, it’s really nice to see governments building infrastructure to be inclusive to a wider selection of transportation. Along with the growing bike-centric infrastructure initiatives, we’re also seeing other industries benefit from the growing popularity of electric bikes. For example, the last-mile delivery industry has benefitted greatly from electrified active mobility, especially in Europe and Asia.
To add to this, a recent development from e-bike sharing platform Zoomo indicates that it’s opening its doors to the last-mile delivery sector. Zoomo, with operations in the U.K., U.S., Australia, and France, has just announced a partnership with EAV, a U.K.-based manufacturer of four-wheeled cargo electric bikes. The plan is that Zoomo will take delivery of these ultra-utilitarian e-bikes, and make them available for rent on the Zoomo platform.
What this means for the everyday Joe is that bigger hauling tasks may no longer call for a truck or van for rent, as these cargo e-bikes can haul pretty much anything a small van can. Furthermore, its simple, ergonomic design means that the bikes can be used for multiple deliveries at a time, say for food or parcels. Indeed, these bikes are built to carry, with a rear section designed with up to two cubic meters of storage space. Furthermore, these storage compartments are rated for up to 150 kilograms.
As it would turn out, the high-torque, high-efficiency electric motors used in e-bikes are perfect for hauling heavy loads. These setups tend to use a chain or belt-driven setup with a mid-drive motor handling the manual labor. Of course, they’re also equipped with regular pedals in order to be classified as electric bicycles. A major perk that comes with this classification is the fact that they can be used on bike lanes and cycle paths.
