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Jörg Fingerle joined the team at the beginning of 2023, and aims to drive forward the ‘traffic revolution’.
The appointment of a Sales and Marketing Manager for Carla Cargo sees the company launch into a new phase of development. Additionally, the new team member releases the company founder and pioneer Markus Bergmann to focus on other aspects of the brand.
Jörg Fingerle has been working in international sales and marketing for 25 years and has been active in the bicycle industry for many years. He is the founder of two bicycle stores in Freiburg and for recent years, has been in charge of sales at Jobrad and was responsible for setting up its new bicycle business division.
Carla Cargo will relocate to new Herbolzheim HQ
Carla Cargo plans the move for late April 2023. The cargo-bike-manufacturer’s new home base is close to the HQ of their primary supplier, features higher-quality working conditions, and will enable a more efficient production process. We wish the team the best with their move!
The ‘Cleaner Air Markets’ report from Fare City reveals that using cargo bikes and electric vehicles for the delivery of goods to local trader’s markets may reduce CO2 emissions by 67.5 times compared to use of conventional diesel vans.
The new UK-based report examines how the traders of a working market were enabled to switch from their polluting internal combustion engine vehicles to trial zero tailpipe emission modes of transport, such as cargo bikes and electric vehicles. Report publisher, Fare City shares, “There is an exciting opportunity to reconsider how we service our public markets. At present, traders use polluting vans and cars to bring goods to and from markets in towns and cities across the UK. For years, this practice of driving goods into the heart of communities has contributed to local air pollution, congestion, and carbon emissions, adversely impacting the very people such markets aim to serve.”
In its inaugural effort to develop one London marketplace, Fare City reports that if all traders within the trial were to permanently switch to zero-emission modes, annual CO2 emissions would drop by 1,175kg. This, of course, is due to the substituted transport methods such as cargo bikes and e-bikes producing 67.5 times less CO2 pollution than diesel vans in the same scenario.
Mark Sutton’s write-up of the report describes a carbon reduction of 99% over journeys of 5km. He shares, “Assessment of a typical 5km journey returned the finding that a trader travelling 5km each way in a diesel van will produce 2.65kg CO2e. This will reduce to 0.77kg CO2e if using an electric van, a 71% reduction, while if the diesel van was replaced by an electric cargo bike the carbon emissions would drop from 2.65kg to 0.04kg CO2e, a reduction of 99%“
A secondary finding highlights the warm reception of market traders to alternative transportation methods – 90% of all market traders and 57% of all market businesses engaged with the project. From the user-base 80% of participants stated that they were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to use a zero-emission device again thanks to the benefits they experienced.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has welcomed the decision to include a new higher limit for Cargo Bikes in the revised Bike to Work Scheme announced this month as part of the Finance Bill.
The updated scheme sees a subsidy increase to €3,000 for Cargo Bikes – in recognition of their higher initial cost. Previously the available limit was linked to that available for bicycles (€1,250) and electric-assist bicycles (€1,500). Therefore, support for Cargo Bike purchases has now been doubled.
Minister Ryan shared, “This increase will help make cargo bikes more affordable for those choosing to purchase a new bike under the bike-to-work scheme. Cargo bikes have become more popular in recent years with many people using them to bring their kids to school, for shopping and for work purposes as delivery vehicles. The cost factor, however, is an impediment to many people who may want to buy one. We hope that by increasing the limits for cargo bikes, more people will be able to choose them as a more sustainable way to get around.
“We also need to see our courier and delivery companies moving at a faster pace from vans and trucks to cargo bikes and we are looking at ways of supporting this transformation, specifically for the last mile element of their deliveries.
“The coming years will see a re-allocation of road space away from private vehicles towards public transport and space for people walking and cycling and cargo bikes will play a large part in how we use our roads. I look forward to seeing many more cargo bikes on our roads over the coming years, helped by this decision today to make them more affordable.”
The Bike to Work Scheme aims to encourage the public to cycle to and from work. The initiative allows employees to give part of their salary for a bicycle and/or safety equipment, which should be used primarily for travelling to and from work. The purchase is not taxable benefit-in-kind and can be made in any shop.
The latest market studies by major electric bicycle associations clearly show steady growth in the e-cargo bike sector, which will continue to increase in the coming years. LEVA-EU member Bafang is responding to this with the launch of the M620 mid-engine.
In particular, the segment of heavy, commercially used e-cargo bikes (payload between 500 kg and 1 tonne) give many engineers a headache when choosing the most suitable and sustainable drive concept. Bafang is working intensively to develop solutions to meet the demands placed on these last-mile transport vehicles, which in turn help to meet global requirements for reducing CO2 emissions. Through exchange between the R&D department, users and manufacturers, Bafang has gained knowledge and insights for the effective research and development of its new technical milestone.
Integrated differential, smooth reverse drive function
Bafang has opted for a solution that is specifically aimed at use on chain- or belt-driven heavy-duty tricycles. Bafang creates entire systems that work in synergy for this application, for example, the powerful mid-engine M620, with a new 3-speed automatic gear hub, plus an integrated differential grid, and reverse gear. According to the Chinese manufacturer, these form the ideal system solution in combination with a powerful and reliable mid-mounted motor.
The e-bike rental service Henry Mobility (Berlin), which previously specialized in the commercial sector, is now also aimed at end customers. The subscription service under the name ‘Cycle’ starts in Berlin.
Rad Power Bikes have paired up with Cycle to provide two cargo bikes for the pilot project: Radrunner and Radwagon. The subscription will be priced at EUR 79.90 per month, with a choice between monthly rentals or a cheaper annual contract.
Compared to other cargo bikes, Rad Power’s offering may seem small, but with their robust luggage racks at the front and rear and the high payload of 136 and 156 kilograms, they offer significantly more transport options than conventional bicycles.
Included in the service are maintenance, insurance, and workshop appointments – all available via the smartphone app. Having previously only catered to B2B clients, the service’s launch in Berlin is a new B2C venture, with the potential to expand into additional European cities.
LEVA-EU member Bimas Bikes showcased its own line of Bimas Bikes, the Argeus project bikes, and its collaboration with Oowi bike-sharing service at Eurobike 2022.
Jan Willem de Ronde of Bimas Bikes shared, “We have been going [to Eurobike] as a visitor for years, but this is of course a completely different dynamic. What we want to show here is of course our own brand Bimas Bikes, the cargo bike is the [our] most successful at the moment. We also produce OEM bicycles on a project basis. Our factory also makes a large number of bicycles for other brands, which are also exhibited here at the fair,” referring to bicycles of the Argeus project. Of their own range, the new Bimas eTour 7.5 e-bike made its debut at Eurobike 2022.
Continuing to discuss Bimas’ partnerships, de Ronde explained, “[Argeus] is its own brand, but [more of an] umbrella. Someone can choose to carry the Argeus, but they can also put their own brand name on it. The bikes that we show here are actually a kind of starting point, we will discuss the method of final assembly at a later stage. We also have customers, with whom we start from paper, but then you have to speak to someone who already knows exactly what they want. Such customers often already have a very strong idea about the model, the parts, and the marketing strategy. These customers often already have their own collection, but are looking for something to replace or expand.”
The third item showcased by Bimas Bikes was their close collaboration with Oowi, a bike-sharing service. Bimas Bikes manufactures the physical bikes, while Oowi is responsible for the sharing platform itself.
Prague remains a key location for cargo bike urban integration, having opened two city center depots. After operating for a sustained period, the success of the scheme can now be evaluated.
Prague’s two cargo bike depots opened in 2020 and 2021 respectively, being recognized by the 2021 Eurocities Awards as a low-carbon alternative to last-mile van delivery. The principal is simple, a van drops off packages at the central depot, which are then delivered across the city via cargo bike. In Prague, hilly terrain leads to a preference for e-cargo bikes, allowing riders to tackle tougher terrain with ease. Thus far, each depot has delivered approximately 7,000 orders per month, with each location housing up to eight companies.
Successful collaboration between public and private sectors
Operating companies pay a small fee to cover depot running costs, and hence, the city administration does not have to contribute a stake in the project outside of the initial construction cost. For a relatively low price, the depot helps to achieve Prague’s long-term vision to promote cycling and change its citizens’ attitudes to this means of transport. The depot also contributes to the city’s pledge to lower its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The project is a good example of cooperation between different actors. The pilot project was approved by the city council based on a study by the Prague Institute of Planning and Development. It took only three months to execute the proposal. Ekolo, the company setting up and running the depot, attributes this success to intense cooperation between the logistics firm and city-run companies.
Domestic firm (Dámejídlo, Zásilkovna, Rohlík or WEDO) and international firms (DHL, Dascher, GLS) both profit from the innovation. Twelve enterprises use the two depots at present, but Adam Scheinherr, mayor’s deputy for transportation, is in talks with companies that could not be accommodated in the first depots. A representative of Ekolo started helping with similar cargo bike projects in London, Copenhagen, and Lille.
Potential to inspire future action and lessons learned
As the largest depots of their kind, Prague’s cargo bike scheme offers both a point of inspiration and a case study from which to learn. Of course, it is commonly accepted that electric cargo bikes are an optimal delivery vehicle; speedy, quiet, low polluting, cheaper, accessible, etc. however, new insight can now be utilized to further improve customer and driver experience.
The key lessons learned for future projects were:
More depots are required: This will minimize driver distance and reduce delivery times.
Unsustainable trends must still be recognized: Overconsumption and the negative impact of deliveries and packaging are still prominent issues for the majority of parcel lifetimes. More localized production is required.
Worker experience must be improved: One recent example concerns an online grocery store, Rohlik.cz, one of the companies using the depot. The firm reduced the couriers’ wages (despite having almost doubled its profit last year), sparking public concern. Other difficulties of this job came to light, namely long working hours, lack of social security, and uncertain wages.
Any Italian company or business activity that invested in the purchase of a cargo bike for its daily activities in 2021 will now be able to receive up to 30% of the total expense. According to a decree published in the Italian Official Gazette, the incentive will be “in the form of a tax credit” and is up to a maximum of €2,000.
The Italian government has allocated €2million to the scheme, which applies to the purchase of cargo bikes and power-assisted bikes. An online registration is soon to be created with a deadline for submissions to obtain the credit set at 20th June 2022.
Cargo bikes are being championed by manufacturers around Europe and their numbers are set to expand. Companies are using cargo bikes for first- and last-kilometres deliveries, while families are encouraged to replace their second cars with cargo bikes and similar modes of transport. The subsidies do only apply to businesses and not personal use, however.
Elisa Gallo, the president of the FIAB Torino Bike Pride – the Italian Association of Cycling Friends (which recently organised a cargo bike day), and newly elected national councillor of the Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation, commented on the news to RivistaBC: “It is certainly useful to invest in cargo bikes. Italians are beginning to be interested in cargo bikes, however, much more needs to be done. Delivery companies are also more sensitive to their environmental impact. It is certainly desirable for the incentive to be renewed also for 2022.”
The National Association for Cycle and Motorcycle Accessories (ANCMA) remarked that the incentive is still far away from contributing to reach the environmental objectives or the ecological transition and that more are needed to encourage cycling. However, considering the current energy crisis, this could potentially favour a radical change in the way people and goods move, particularly inurban areas.
For more information check the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition (MiTE) Gazzetta Ufficiale
A 12-month trial sees vans servicing Bristol Royal Infirmary replaced by cargo bikes for urban journeys
Run by West of England Combined Authority, the trial will take place for a full year, beginning June 2022. E-cargo bikes will be used as direct replacements for vans previously utilized by the Bristol Royal Infirmary, with GPS tracking measuring how this change impacts delivery performance.
The £920,000 of funding from central government seeks to deliver substantial change to the way in which UK transport systems operate. As outlined by the Future Transport Zone, “The zones will provide real-world testing for experts, allowing them to work with a range of local bodies such as councils, hospitals, airports and universities to test innovative ways to transport people and goods.”
A comparable study by Pedal and Post, an Oxford-based cargo bike provider, found medical delivery times to be halved when using cargo bikes in comparison to vans in urban areas. The results for Bristol will become clear in a year’s time.
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