Ellio develops Marty, pioneered for multiple cycling modes
Comments Off on Ellio develops Marty, pioneered for multiple cycling modesBelgian brand Ellio has launched Marty, the cargo bike that can serve as a full replacement for the car. Marty was developed from the findings of an extensive survey among the Ellio community and Flemish workers. With Marty, Ellio wants to further respond to the needs of car users who want to make the “modal shift” to the bicycle. Commuting to work in combination with transporting children and shopping appears to be one of the main reasons for working people to take the car. With Marty, Ellio is the first to offer a real alternative.
An online survey conducted by research agency iVOX on behalf of Ellio was undertaken between 4 and 11 May 2022 among 1,000 working Flemish people, representative by gender, age and diploma.
The all-wheel drive E-bikes from Belgian-based, Ellio are notable for their unique design, with a low centre of gravity and unprecedented stability. In addition to the Ellio Elite, Enjoy and Essential, the brand is now releasing a new model called Marty. Marty retains the unique riding characteristics for which Ellio has become known, but also has a completely new frame that is also produced closer to home. Marty has been extended at the back so that groceries, children or extra luggage can easily be transported. The suspension is a first in the long tail bike market. As a result, shocks at higher speeds are absorbed perfectly.
Marty will be available in two versions that refer to their speed limits: Marty 25 and Marty 45. Ellio’s main focus will remain on commuting, but now opens up possibilities for combined stops. From May 31 you can reserve a Marty in one of the four new colours: Mint Green, Light Blue, Rust Orange and Black Matt. The new model will officially go into production in the summer of 2023. And why the name Marty? It is a nod to Marty McFly, a character from Back to the Future. After all, the “long tail bike” is not a new concept, but Ellio is making it the future with Marty.
“A cargo bike is nice for those who make short trips in the city, but you can’t call it a full-fledged alternative to the car because long distances are out of the question. With its large battery, the Marty 25 has an unprecedented range in the cargo bike market. Ellio goes even one step further with the Marty 45. It is the very first cargo bike that can really say it is a speed pedelec. The functionality of a cargo bike combined with the speed of a speed pedelec makes the model a worthy car replacement. ”
— Jorrit Heidbuchel, co-founder Ellio
With Marty, Ellio plays on combining commuting with shopping and transporting children. The design was extended at the rear and the brand developed attachments such as a children’s bench with footboard, and a cargo box to make combined routes feasible. No fewer than 7 out of 10 Flemings indicate that they sometimes make a stopover during their home-to-work journey. For example, 3 in 5 working Flemish people who do not only work from home, say that they sometimes combine their commute with shopping and 2 in 5 also combine this with picking up or dropping off their child(ren).
It is remarkable that almost half of the working Flemish would consider making their home-work journey by bicycle if it is suitable for combined routes. Marty thus responds to a social necessity and appeals not only to the active Ellio community, but to the Flemish in general.
The vast majority of Flemish people live within 40 km of their work. The ideal distance for Marty.
We are increasingly living close to work. For example, more than 2 in 5 Flemish (43%) indicate that they have to travel between 10 and 40 kilometres from their main residence to work. For this distance, Marty 45 is the ideal commuter partner. A similar proportion (38%) say their work is less than 6 miles from their primary residence, an appropriate distance for the Marty 25.
“For young families, the car is still too often the only option as a means of transport. Belgian legislation does not yet allow children to be transported on a speed pedelec. Ellio is therefore striving to apply a change in the law that allows children to be transported on a speed pedelec, provided that it does not go faster than 25 km/h. This way you can bring your children to school at a safe speed and drive straight to work on the higher speed of the speed pedelec. The potential for the modal shift is enormous!”
— Tomas Keppens, Founder Ellio
Sales info
From May 31, the model Marty will go on pre-order in 4 colors: Mint Green, Light Blue, Rust Orange and Black Matt. Marty can be reserved online through the Ellio website.