The changing face of electric cargo bikes

Are the latest electric cargo bikes taking styling cues from car design? The Cannondale Wonderwagen e-cargo bike is the new kid on the block, and its twin headlights frame a distinctly car-like front end. Perhaps its simply a clever ploy to encourage more people to ditch the car for the school run and local errands.

The Komodo is a another recent arrival to the cargo ebike market - albeit one aimed at small businesses rather than families. Beyond eye-catching lines, it borrows engineering know-how from the automotive industry. The e-trike is fabricated from a single shell frame - a method of construction that increases strength, reliability and payload without compromising handling.

Cars are not for cities. Cities are not for cars

Cars are a sub-optimal way of moving people and their stuff around a city. Quite apart from damage to the environment and road danger, most cities simply don't have the space to accommodate a single car per inhabitant - not to mention those used by visitors.

By contrast, every city can comfortably store a bicycle for every one of its people...plus countless more. It's one of the reasons cargo bikes are increasingly popular - and why the big bike manufacturers want in on the action.

Cargo bike insurance

Cargo bikes offer a clean, quiet and cost effective way to carry stuff that's too bulky for a conventional bicycle. However, the fact they're bigger and heavier can make a breakdown troublesome. Even the shortest journey comes to an abrupt halt in the event of a flat tyre, broken chain or buckled wheel and carrying kids or cargo adds an unwelcome dimension to being stuck.

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Insure your cargo bike with us and top of a list of great benefits, you'll get the peace of mind offered by our Cycle Rescue - the first breakdown cover policy for bicycles and one that covers cargo bikes recumbents and tandems.

If you suffer a breakdown (including punctures) while out cycling, or are unable to continue due to an injury, our 24-hour Cycle Rescue team is on hand to arrange transport for you and your cycle to a safe location.

Every insurance policy includes the following as standard:

• Theft, accidental damage & vandalism
• Cycle Rescue
• No devaluation of your bike over time
• £2m third party PLUS £20,000 personal accident cover
• Shed and garage storage
• Low standard excess of 5% (£50 minimum)
• You and your family on your bike

Read a full list of everything we include.

Electric cargo bikes on a budget

French sporting goods giant Decathlon may have shaken up the e-cargo bike market with its £3,500 D500, but there's a homegrown alternative snapping at its heels.

The mycycle cargo bike starts at £1,999 for the entry level model, which boasts a range of 60km. To the basic specification you can add an impressive array of optional accessories as well as a battery upgrade that doubles the distance you can travel with power assist.

Although it's easy for a high-spec mycycle cargo bike to come in at over £3,000, it costs less than the equivalent bike from Decathlon and the low entry price will be attractive to many.

We're giving away an e-bike

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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