It is the land of some of the most popular as well as some of the most successful automotive car brands. In fact, nothing can deny the fact that the country has contributed tremendously in shaping the automotive landscape of the world. You can be spoilt for choices the moment you realize that for every Audi, there’s a BMW and that for every BMW and Audi, there are as many Mercedes and Porsche’. But now, in the land of the famous Autobahns, there’s something quite unique that’s making a noise. Yes, the electric cargo bikes in Germany have arrived with rich aplomb.
Now while the concept of electric cargo bikes in Germany could be simply seen as an interesting new gain for the logistics and supply chain industry, the country being no stranger to iconic logistics brands such as DB Schenker, it appears that there is more to the electric cargo bikes in Germany than meets the eye.
So what is the big gain here?
Apparently, it is believed that as the concerns about climate change continue to emerge, the continent already finding itself ‘baked’ thanks to the unsparing heat-wave that gripped much of Europe this year, the electric cargo bikes in Germany are being seen as a climate-sensitive alternative to climate-change.
To that regard, there’s hardly a surprise that several mainstream German cities have already adopted the electric cargo bikes for transportation of goods to deliver them to customers. And implicit in the reason for the adoption of the same is the key step that the country envisions to take: reducing the carbon footprint.
The math that works here is quite simple. The lower the carbon footprint from cars, vans, and trucks the much better it is from the environmental perspective.
But the above told, there’s more to the adoption of electric cargo bikes in Germany than just the climate concerns. A trickle-down effect of the scathing heat the one’s been constantly jostling with here in the heartland of Western Europe is the increased awareness of the everyday German regarding the perils of climate change.
Where’s something interesting that a European motor vehicle authority KBA found out in the said context:
Climate change is the top concern for Germans, opinion polls show, but government subsidies to boost sales of electric cars have not gained traction. Only 36,000 electric cars were sold in Germany last year, compared with 25,000 in 2017, according to motor vehicle authority KBA.
The picture is much rosier for these cargo bikes, three-wheeled vehicles that have a motor to help with pedaling and a large cargo basket that can fit kids, pets and shopping and so make them popular with parents.
Furthermore, what’s rather interesting is that the average working-class German’s attitude toward the adoption of the electric cargo bikes has been rather encouraging. Surveys conducted in mainstream German cities suggest that the newly-adopted electric cargo bikes seem handy and sufficiently equipped with features that one typically associates with mainstream budget cars.
So what does that mean effectively?
Germans, living in cities like Berlin and Frankfurt have realized that a cargo bike can actually replace a second car in a family. So whether it’s about running errands, going to work, going shopping or just hanging out for recreation, the cargo bikes seem the fit the bill quite smoothly. Moreover, the fact that one’s using a healthier, cleaner and environment-friendly option is viewed as a bright solution.
But that said, it remains to be seen just how well does a commoner respond to and sustain the electric cargo bikes in Germany.