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Also for businesses, the benefits of electric cargo bikes are piling up. In addition to all the advantages for individuals, there are even more extras to consider.
These benefits are unlikely to disappear quickly. Cargo bikes are there to replace (in addition to cars) delivery vans. This is encouraged by cities and governments that are adjusting their infrastructure and laws to accommodate more cargo bikes.
1. Quicker Through Traffic
Delivering in busy streets can be a nightmare. For just a few meters, you can lose minutes to even hours. Drivers risk violations and fines to avoid getting stuck.
With all the one-way streets, there is an additional obstacle. Fortunately, you can rely on applications like Waze to avoid unnecessary traffic jams.
With the cargo bike, you are allowed in all streets, on public roads, and on bike paths. This significantly shortens the route, making deliveries faster. Instead of frustrations, the driver gets endorphins from all that cycling. For you, the delivery is faster, and the planning remains easier to control.
Because they are much less restricted, you can also plan deliveries much better. With a cargo bike, you know almost exactly how long a delivery will take.
There are already some statistics from Copenhagen and London where we see that a cargo bike can deliver an average of 10 packages per hour. A delivery van delivers an average of 6 packages. In busy city centers, the cargo bike is up to 60% faster.
It also counts for pollution. They have 90% less COยฒ emissions than gasoline delivery vans and 30% less than electric vans.
2. Delivering in car-free zones
The transition to 30 km/h in major European cities has already begun. Other cities are also following suit, or even going further with completely car-free city centers. This trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon. More and more, we will encounter cities without cars.
This has a huge impact on businesses as well. Logistics solutions now depend on transportation that meets the requirements of the cities. Light electric vehicles is a term used for this purpose. Especially on a scientific or legal basis, in everyday language, “cargo bike” sounds much better.
There are also different types of cargo bikes. There is a customized solution for every situation.
3. Less pollution and cost, in purchase and consumption
An electric vehicle consumes less than a gasoline model. Light electric vehicles (LEV vehicles) will eventually replace gasoline delivery vans. The only question is when. Why you would do this is already clear. Of all the benefits, cost and consumption are probably the most important for businesses.
A low purchase price. A cargo bike costs somewhere between 3000 and 8000 dollars, euros or pounds depending on the quality, power, size of the cargo area, and carrying capacity. The battery is also important, although you can usually replace it once it’s empty.
With light electric vehicles, you can also consider generating your own electricity.
4. Subsidies and depreciations
The government is also a big fan of the concept. We just need to get rid of fuels and switch to electricity. How we will obtain all this electricity is a question for another website.
To encourage the use of ‘light electric vehicles’ or cargo bikes, various benefits are offered. On the one hand, you can receive subsidies to reduce the cost of purchasing. On the other hand, you can fully depreciate electric vehicles in your accounting. More about subsidies for electric cargo bikes can be found here.
5. Increased visibility
A cargo bike can also be used differently. It’s a display, people see them riding and they represent your brand. Your brand that stands for eco-friendly cargo transportation. You can stand in the middle of a square. This is allowed with a bike and therefore also with a cargo bike.
You can even go as far as creating a pop-up shop, although you probably need permits for this.
6. Healthier employees, less absenteeism
Exercise is good for people. Sitting down too often, staying still, or, in short, driving a car is not a good thing. Especially when traffic is at a standstill, frustration can set in. Employees are not particularly happy when the pressure of delivering on time is so high.
With a cargo bike, they can navigate through traffic, use all streets as well as bike paths, and can deliver on time every time. The movement promotes better blood circulation and provides the employee with a good dose of endorphins.
It has already been proven that employees who cycle are absent less often and are less likely to experience burnout.
Disadvantages of the cargo bike
Rain
Rain will always be an enemy of cycling. If we are serious about cycling more often, we must also take our bikes in the rain for short distances. Dressing appropriately is the key.
For cargo, this is more difficult. If the box can be closed and the cargo is safe, then this is not a problem. However, if you have an open box, you may need to postpone the delivery until after the rain. This is indeed a disadvantage, something we do not experience with trucks.
The evolution of light electric vehicles remains a question. There will be an answer to this in the near future.
More dangerous
A cargo bike is considered more dangerous than a car. At least, that’s what they say, but this is not entirely true. Cargo bikes will never exceed 25 km/h (unless it’s a speed pedelec on the open road). Therefore, any collision would occur at a slow speed, making the risk of a serious accident very low.
The only reason cargo bikes are considered dangerous is because they have to share the road with cars and freight traffic. In the future, we hope to see lanes specifically designated for LEV vehicles and cargo bikes.
Convinced of the cargo bike but not sure which model to choose? Check out our selection of Long Johns or bakfietsen and make a choice that suits your needs.
