Guide To Cargo E-Bikes - Best Electric Bikes

Of the many new e-bike models that manufacturers have introduced this year, one consistent theme has emerged: 2023 is the year of the cargo e-bike. We’ve seen new models introduced by Specialized, Lectric, Aventon, Blix and Tern, among others.

So why a guide to cargo e-bikes? Well, the big reason is to show shoppers just how broad the category is and just how capable they can be. Unlike commuter e-bikes or eMTBs where the models out there fall in a fairly narrow range, making them easy to define, cargo e-bikes aren’t any one thing. They may be short or long. They may carry kids, or not. They may carry their load in front, or they may carry it in back.

In our guide to electric cargo bikes, Best Electric Bikes will lay out the broad range of what’s out there and detail which questions shoppers should ask themselves to answer whether a cargo e-bike is for them and if so, just what to look for as they shop.

Who needs one?

It would be easy to think that unless someone has a business delivering food in an urban environment or dropping kids at the neighborhood preschool a cargo e-bike might not be for them. Viewed that way, their incredible versatility will be missed.

We see the potential of cargo e-bikes through the lens of how they can allow us to do more by e-bike so that we can leave the car parked more. Riding an e-bike to and from work is dynamite, but if every time someone needs to go to the grocery store, school or the garden supply store they have to grab the car keys, then the e-bike isn’t offering all the service that it could.

Compact

Leading off our guide to cargo e-bikes are the compact cargo e-bikes. Sometimes called utility e-bikes, these rides are made to reach a variety of different budgets. As a result, we see them in versions with hub motors as well as mid-drive motors. These e-bikes aren’t big and long like some cargo e-bikes. They aren’t intended to carry all the things, just more things than someone can carry on a commuter e-bike. They also differ from commuters in that they have more mounting points for things like racks and baskets. Many offer a seating option so that the rider can carry a passenger. Due to their length, they can carry one passenger, but (usually) not two.

They have a few consistent features that we see across the different manufacturers:

Short wheelbase. These e-bikes range between the same length as other e-bikes to slightly longer (4-6 in.), making them easier to steer through urban environments, not to mention to park or store.
20-inch wheels. Not all compact cargo e-bikes have small wheels, but they do offer some handy benefits including lowering the e-bike’s center of gravity, making heavier loads easier to manage as well as making them more maneuverable.
Front and rear mounting points. To get the most out of a utility e-bike, riders need the ability to mount racks and/or baskets both front and rear.
Step-thru frame design. After loading up an e-bike with a couple of bags of potting soil or several bags of groceries, a rider will feel more comfortable and confident handling the load if the e-bike is easy to mount.

Examples of utility e-bikes:

Box/Bakfiets

When someone says “cargo e-bike,” the image that comes to mind for many people is that of the big front-loading e-bikes, which the Dutch call “bakfiets.” It was the Dutch who first invented the bakfiets long ago to navigate compact city centers, which increasingly ban cars from narrow streets. These cargo e-bikes can carry the biggest, heaviest loads someone might subject an e-bike to. They are remarkable for their ability to carry a couple of kids, a load of groceries and even Fido. Some come with just a big box up front, while some come with seats (and harnesses) for kids. While they are stable once moving, they have a very long wheelbase and can be difficult to maneuver on narrow bike paths or crowded urban areas. They are also the heaviest of all cargo e-bikes, making them a challenge for more petite riders.

Here’s what tends to be common across different makers:

Long wheelbase. A box e-bike can’t avoid being long. In order to carry as much as three or four kids, plus school bags and such requires room. They turn like a school bus, but that long wheelbase makes them easy to manage at low speeds.
20-in. wheel front. Most of the box e-bikes feature 20-in. wheels both front and rear, though some will spec a larger wheel in the rear. The small wheel in front helps to keep the center of gravity low and to aid maneuverability, which is important for an e-bike as long as some cars.
Mid-drive motor. Considering that a box e-bike may be moving 400 lbs. or more, a mid-drive motor is almost unavoidable. Riders need power the moment they start to pedal, so a torque sensor is mandatory.
Motorcycle-style kickstand. Loading kids, groceries or a keg of beer will be difficult if the e-bike isn’t perfectly stable. A motorcycle-style, dual-leg kickstand is necessary to make buckling kids into their seats possible. They also help the rider determine if the load is centered left-to-right to avoid making the e-bike pull to the left or right.

Examples of box cargo e-bikes:

Long Tails

Long-tail cargo e-bikes are a relatively recent invention, but they are growing in popularity due to their combination of carrying ability and their easy handling. While they can be nearly as long as a box e-bike, they are easier to ride. Long tails are especially popular with families because they can be outfitted to carry two kids, plus a front basket can carry a couple of kids’ backpacks or bags of groceries. For kids, the standard setup will involve a skirt over the rear wheel to keep feet safe, running boards so the kids have a place to put their feet, bench seats and handlebars for the riders to hold.

Here’s what to look for in a long tail cargo e-bike:

Long wheelbase. For the parent who wants to carry more than one child, a long-tail cargo e-bike will show a noticeably long wheelbase. The rider needs that room behind their saddle if they want to carry multiple children.
20-in. wheel rear. A long tail benefits from a small wheel in the same way as a box e-bike, only with the smaller wheel behind the rider. That keeps the cargo deck and center of gravity lower, improving handling when toting passengers.
Mid-drive motor. Like with the box e-bikes, because these e-bikes can carry 400 lbs. or more, they need power the moment the rider puts pressure on a pedal, not a pedal stroke later, which makes a torque sensor a must-have.
Passenger friendly. Kids tend to be more comfortable and feel safer on e-bikes with running boards rather than feet pegs. They also tend to feel more secure (and involved) holding onto a handlebar of their own.
Motorcycle-style kickstand. A dual-leg motorcycle-style kickstand is indispensable when loading the e-bike with kids and any sort of payload. Kids feel more secure climbing on if the e-bike isn’t moving.

Examples of long-tail cargo e-bikes:

Trikes

When it comes to carrying capacity, e-trikes have a leg up, so-to-speak, on other e-bikes. Due to their design, most e-trikes either come with a large rack or basket, or one can be purchased as an accessory. These baskets tend to be larger than we see on most e-bikes; this owes to the amount of space between the rear wheels. E-trikes are also a great option for anyone concerned about their ability to handle a load that might outweigh them; balance ceases to be an issue. One interesting advantage to an e-trike is that as the payload increases, it becomes more stable, less likely to tip in a turn, so carrying a load will give riders reason to feel more confident, not less so.

Here’s what to look for in an e-trike:

Mid-drive motor or hub motor with torque sensor. Electric trikes can be among the heaviest of all e-bikes. That means that when starting, if the motor is controlled by a cadence meter, the rider will have to make somewhere between a half and a full turn of the pedals before the motor will deliver any power. As a result, e-trikes with mid-drive motors (which include a torque sensor) or e-trikes with a hub motor and a torque sensor will respond immediately to rider input, making them much easier to get going.
Multi-speed drivetrain. A drivetrain with only a single gear makes both starting and going uphill more difficult for riders. Multiple gears are very helpful for starting from a stop and for climbing grades.
Rear differential. A differential allows the rear wheels to turn at slightly different speeds, which reduces wear on the tires, wheels and drivetrain. Some e-trikes work around this by placing the motor in the front wheel and connecting the drivetrain to one rear wheel, not both of them.
Mounting points front and rear. Most e-trikes have a sizable space for a basket in the rear, but for some riders, that may not be enough carrying capacity. Many e-trikes offer front mounting points for another basket

Examples of e-trikes:

Choices, choices

As we’ve shown, there are a number of different types of cargo e-bikes. That’s not to say that choosing one should be difficult. In most cases one of two different styles is likely to be the best fit.

For parents, the calculation is pretty straightforward. One kid? Compact cargo. More than one kid (even if #2 or #3 is only planned)? A long tail cargo e-bike or a box e-bike is the way to go. For those with no kids, but the need to carry more than a bag or two of groceries, a compact cargo e-bike may suffice, or an e-trike may fit the bill. For those with a large, unwieldy or simply heavy load, a box e-bike will make life easy.

While finding examples of these e-bikes at dealers isn’t easy, taking each of the different types out for a test ride will help shoppers to know how they ride.

In speaking at a trade event last week with the makers of several of the e-bikes listed above, they all offered the same perspective on the difference between commuter e-bikes and cargo e-bikes: If someone has to ride home from work to get their car to pick up kids or go grocery shopping, their e-bike isn’t as versatile as their needs.