Pressrelease

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is presenting the world’s most advanced electric cargo bike

• The Cargo e-Bike is equipped with innovative axle kinematics which keep the goods being transported level
• The three-wheel pedelec can be ridden without a driver’s license and will launch in 2019

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be offering innovative zero-emission vehicles in nearly all market segments. With this goal in mind, the brand has developed its first electric cargo bike: the Cargo e-Bike. It was designed for use in downtown areas, production plants, businesses of all types and hotels – the list of potential applications is limitless. A progressive last-mile deliverer with a market launch date as soon as next year.

The Cargo e-Bike from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a pedelec that adds power assistance to the rider’s pedalling with its 250 watt (48V) mid-mounted motor at speeds up to 25 km/h. The advantages: the cargo bike can be used without a driver’s licence or insurance and can be used practically anywhere. The energy for the electric motor is supplied by a lithium-ion battery (energy capacity: 500 Wh). The bike’s range is up to 100 kilometres.

The three-wheel Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle has an axle with two wheels at the front and the cargo platform positioned low between them. The rear of the pedelec is designed like a normal bicycle. A cargo box with a storage volume of 0.5 m3 can be mounted to the load platform. The cargo bike is 2,060 mm long, 890 mm wide and 1,100 mm tall (height of handlebars). The drive and the rugged architecture of the lightweight 40-kg cargo bike have been designed for a payload of up to 210 kg (including rider).

The innovative kinematics of the front axle ensure that the goods being transported on the load platform do not tilt with the cargo bike when cornering, rather they remain horizontal and thereby stable. This tilt-levelling technology is an innovation in the segment of cargo bikes.

Ingenious detailed solutions like the new kinematics are a common thread that runs through the entire design concept of the Cargo e-Bike. The bike’s track width was intentionally limited to less than 900 mm so that it is even possible to ride through door frames. The combination of its track width, a relatively long wheelbase of 1,350 mm and the low centre of gravity of its load platform result in a high degree of safety against overturning. Ride comfort is optimised by wide balloon tyres (20-inch at front, 24-inch at rear) from Continental (“Revolution” type). The solutions implemented by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles combine to create a new generation of electric cargo bikes whose utility and ride properties will set the benchmark in this field.

The innovative Cargo e-Bike will be produced at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant in Hannover. A new production area with a floor area of 240 m2was set up for this purpose. SOP – Start of Production – is scheduled for the very near future.