moveE: The world's most affordable electric cargo trikes

The widespread use of cargo trikes in cities would have a transformative effect on our collective quality of life, but the fact that most cost as much as a secondhand car has suppressed their uptake - perhaps until now. The new moveE electric cargo trikes launched recently at a price of £1,300 including a GPS tracking feature, but not delivery (about £200 to Britain).

According to the designers of the moveE:

"We are passionate bicycle enthusiasts who believe in creating a greener society through improved urban mobility. We wish to share this passion with you. The movE is the outcome of seven years of hard work and is now ready for you to experience. Our bike represents a Danish way of life, rooted in functionality, satisfaction and simple pleasures. It embraces this ethos within London’s vibrant and multicultural society. We aspire to improve the well-being of city dwellers, giving bike travel a modern twist by promoting a zero-emissions urban movement. In the spirit of improving urban living and mobility we made the movE as affordable as possible whilst retaining high quality materials and innovative design."

Find out more about the moveE and pre-order via kickstarter.com

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Imagine school run congestion, and the associated road danger, replaced with a procession of sturdy bikes – their cargo boxes brimming with kids. And if you worry your thighs aren’t quite up to the job of carrying the combined weight of up between two and four kids, there are electric motors available as an optional extra.

Most people will be unable to spend thousands on a cargo bike, while at the same time running a car. But for those who can turn to public transport, rental vehicles or a car share club when needed, they can make financial as well as environmental sense.

Giving up a car in favour of a cargo bike and in the process saying goodbye to insurance, VED, petrol, resident permits, parking charges and fines, servicing costs and devaluation – not to mention the gym membership you’ll no longer need – can save the average city driver over £3,500 every year.

Elsewhere in Europe, the bicycle is considered a practical alternative to the car and cargo designs are used to carry loads of up to 250 kg. In Britain, faced with a growing number of parcels, the Post Office has phased out bicycle deliveries. By contrast, and in a perfect illustration of the European attitude towards cycling as a mode of transport, in Germany they developed a larger and stronger cargo bicycle to cope with the extra demand.

Such cargo bikes tend to be, by their nature, big and heavy and relatively slow.

The Mk1-E uses the same ‘built-to-tilt’ system that features on the rest of the range, but it also boasts a powerful Bosch eBike electric motor and an integrated parking stand that’s easily operated from the rider’s position. The cargo box seats two children aged up to around seven.

https://vimeo.com/79972861

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Carrying kids by Christiania cargo trikes

Cargo trikes are being bought in increasing numbers in London, not only by businesses looking for an environmentally-friendly way of bypassing the congestion charge, but by parents looking for a practical and fun alternative to the car for the school run.

When it comes to transporting young children by bike, especially on the school run, there are various options to choose between. By far the simplest and most popular is the child seat fitted onto the rear rack, but on a standard bike it is not possible to carry more than one child in this way.

In Denmark many families with two or more kids, have turned to the Christiania. There is a choice between a standard-sized model, which can fit two to three kids, and a longer version, which can comfortably seat four to six. The box where the kids sit is in front, so everyone gets a good view, while the rider can keep an eye on the kids.

The Madsen Cargo Bike is like any other bicycle features an extended frame equipped with a tub large sturdy enough to carry 250 kg. The advantage it has over the trikes is that it's easier to store and park if space is tight.

Environmentally friendly cycle insurance

On the face of it, one cycle insurance policy is much like another, but the devil is the detail. How much excess you will be charged is just one of the things that varies wildly between providers. Another is so called ‘new-for-old’ replacement – many insurers use this term, but if your bicycle is more than a few years old, devalue it severely. This means you are left out of pocket when you come to replace it.

ETA cycle insurance has a low standard excess of 5% (minimum £25) and offers a new-for-old for life – however old the bike, if it’s stolen you get enough to buy a new model.

For over 27 years we have been providing straightforward, affordable bicycle insurance. Whether you use your bike to commute, shop, race or amble in the park, ETA Cycle Insurance has you covered.

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