Results and learnings from Europe's largest cargo bike testing program for companies and public institutions

Abstract

In order to improve the empirical knowledge on the commercial use of cargo bikes, 755 companies and public institutions across Germany tested this type of vehicle in operational use for three months. Over a period of three years, three waves of online surveys were conducted and around 30,000 vehicle trips were recorded. Among the interested companies, there is a considerable heterogeneity in terms of company size, economic sector and size of corresponding municipality. Environmental protection, taking on a pioneering role in the industry and interest in technology were identified as main motivations for participation. The use of the cargo bike for services was more frequent than for deliveries. The test vehicles were used on average 2.8 days per week and 12 km per day of use. The general suitability of cargo bikes was predominantly assessed positively by the organizations, but potential for optimization was seen in the tested vehicle models, e.g., with regard to the handling of the cargo box. About one third of the participants decided to buy their own cargo bike after the test phase. The findings show that policy-makers and the bicycle industry need to act to better exploit the existing cross-sector potential of cargo bike usage. At the policy level, purchase incentives during the market ramp-up and improvements to the bicycle infrastructure were identified as effective measures. Misconceptions about vehicle handling and traffic safety assessment can be corrected through testing or rental programs, and the perception of soft usage benefits can be strengthened through campaigns. The task for the industry is to improve the reliability of vehicle components, increase user comfort, e.g., through weather protection, and offer better maintenance services.