The Best Electric Cargo Bikes

Many families simply can’t get by without a second vehicle. With working parents, kids, groceries, and errands to run, having just one means of transportation just isn’t going to work for most people. Of course, there is no reason why your second vehicle has to be a car. Today’s electric bikes are fast, can be folded as the perfect electric commuter vehicle, well-made, and, more than ever before, multi-functional. And for families on the go or people with a lot to haul, the electric cargo bike has become an incredibly attractive option! And if you’re operating a business that does any local delivery, they can be a great money-saving option.

What to Look For in Electric Cargo Bikes

When shopping for an electric cargo bike that can meet your family or small business needs, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Power

When it comes to electric bikes in general, you want to be sure you don’t wind up with an underpowered vehicle. The good news is that with quality component companies like Bosch supplying motors for a good chunk of the market, you are unlikely to have any significant problems in this regard. Just be sure that you read the specs and compare them to the local terrain where you live. If you’re in San Francisco with more hills than you can count, you need to get the highest power output possible, and you need a battery pack that can keep up. In other areas, where hills are less of a problem, it really comes down to how much weight you plan to load into your cargo bike. Before you buy, spend some time thinking about what you plan to carry, and then add a little extra. It’s always better to have too much power than not enough.

Accessories

No matter why you have decided to purchase an electric cargo bike, you want to make sure the one you choose allows you to adapt it at a later date. Many of today’s manufacturers have recognized that families and small businesses hope to be able to use their e-bikes for more than one purpose and have continued to expand the accessories they produce. Before you select an e-bike, be sure to browse through the available add-ons and think carefully about how you might want to adapt yours in the future. If you’re thinking about having kids, see that they make easy-add child seats and determine if the seating can be converted later for toddlers. If you’re riding to the office, check that they make saddlebags that can securely hold your laptop and other work-related items without impacting the general cargo area. 

Cargo Space Required

As the market for electric bicycles continues to expand, so does the number of style options for cargo e-bikes. You can now choose between bikes that carry the cargo upfront, those that mount it to the back, or some hybrid options that do a little of both. To decide which is right for you, consider how you will be using the bike most of the time. If it’s primarily a delivery vehicle, the ease of having a cargo basket up front probably makes the most sense. However, if you are riding to and from the office but occasionally want the room for kiddies or groceries, and extended back platform would probably be best.   

With these things in mind, you’re ready to start looking at bikes! We’ve pulled together a list of the best electric cargo bikes on the market right now to help you find the right one for you.

The German bike-maker Riese & Müller has been designing well-made two-wheelers just outside Frankfurt since 1993, and they do a pretty bang-up job of it. When it comes to cargo bikes, they are definitely one of the best. The Load 75 comes ready for pretty much anything you can throw at it. Three kids, seated. No problem. 440 lbs worth of cargo. Perfect. Quickly change settings between multiple riders. Easy. However, it’s the bike’s Control Technology that really puts it over the top. The optimized chassis and the finely tuned full suspension ensure maximum comfort, safe riding, and excellent road handling even at higher speeds. With vibrations and hard impacts from cobblestones and curbs significantly reduced, no matter how much weight you’re moving, the bike simply glides along.

The G4 is a brilliantly versatile cargo bike that allows you to quickly swap between activities on the fly. Calling the cargo space the Black Box gives you some indication of just how open-ended they intend it to be. There are custom settings for the Black Box child’s seat, the Black Box Hard Top, and the Black Box Canopy. Of course, those settings are also tweakable. Essentially, whether you’re hauling a couple of kids, bring home groceries, or making deliveries, this e-cargo is going to be pretty perfect. However, one of the G4’s great advancements is the suspended front fork. This design style allows the rider to adjust the suspension depending on what sort of cargo they are pushing. If you have a load of kids up front, you probably what a softer, more comfortable ride. However, suppose you’re moving bulky goods and need to get them there quickly. In that case, the more rigid, sportier setting will probably suit you better.

Maybe you don’t need to cart around a couple of kids or a massive assortment of groceries. However, perhaps you still want the ability to load up some personal gear as you set off for a day of adventuring. The Payload is the perfect, affordable, electric cargo bike for anyone that doesn’t always need to be hauling stuff around. It’s well-appointed with Das-kit Rear Geared Hub Motor and a 6-hour battery to take you wherever you need. Not to mention, it doesn’t look like a full-time cargo bike. The platform loaders in the front and rear will strap quite a load, but when you’re just out tooling about, this e-bike looks almost like a regular bike. It’s a brilliant compromise.

As soon as you check out the variety of ways you can customize and kit out this e-cargo, you will totally understand why they dubbed it the RadWagon. The base bike is standard looking electric bicycle with a little larger-than-average rear platform. However, with a few adjustments, you’re hauling two kids. Of course, maybe you’d prefer a rear cargo box. And, if that’s not enough, you can add a front cargo box and possibly some saddlebags. This e-cargo is so incredibly versatile that it can expand and contrast to meet most anyone’s hauling needs. The side benefit is that if you don’t need to be lugging stuff around, this bike effortlessly transforms into a regular looking two-wheeler. Which is unlike many other e-cargos on the market.

Suppose you need a dependable, full-time delivery electric cargo bike. In that case, it’s hard to see why you would go with anything else. Sure this bike can be kitted out to carry kids in the front bucket, but the sturdy three-wheel design makes this the perfect delivery e-bike. Powerful Bosch components mean it can be loaded up and pushed around with ease. However, what makes this electric bicycle genuinely incredible is the Built-To-Tilt technology that allows you to corner like you’re on two-wheels. And, what’s more, it will do it without spilling your cargo. It’s also worth mentioning that the accessories for this bike are top-notch. The additional glovebox gives you a lockable compartment that’s fitted with a cupholder up top for coffee on the go. The front bin is also swappable if you’d prefer one with a front opening door in addition to the top-loader. In a big city, the MK1-E will easily outperform a delivery truck when it comes to getting products to customers in town.

If you find yourself regularly having to cart around a good deal of gear. And yet you really would prefer the convenience of a folding bike, the Vektron is made for you. It’s easy to ride, simple to collapse, and customizable to carry whatever you have to take along. With a few clicks, you can mount the child seat attachment, making it the perfect way to head to the park with the family. Optional saddlebags, front cargo frames, and click on baskets means you always have expandable options. Of course, if you’re riding to the office, the simple-to-fold styling means you can store it safely and out of the way under your desk.

This versatile long-tail bike is made for big loads and wiggly kids. And with its seemingly endless customization options, you can pretty much carry whatever you want with this electric bicycle. If you have tiny tots, you can easily connect up to two child seats on the back. If your kids are a little older, there is an extended seat option, complete with handles and footboards. Of course, suppose you need extra wide-load capacity. In that case, the Carry-On cargo extenders give you a solid base to strap your gear and can hold up to a 300-pound overall weight limit.

This RadRunner is so brilliantly customizable that you’ll very quickly see why it can take the place of a second car for most families. The base model is a utilitarian styled e-bike that looks perfectly capable if a little underwhelming. However, when you delve into the range of options, you soon discover you’ve got more to work with than you’ll ever need. Rear cargo box, front cargo box, saddlebags, kids seats are just the beginning of the swappable options from the 330 accessory combinations available with this electric cargo-bike. And, with its compact sizing, you’re never going to have any issues finding a place to store it. Winner of the Best Electric Minibike of 2020, the reviewers noted that “this is an incredible electric bike for the money.”

If an electric cargo bike is all business for you, the Cargo by Urban Arrow might be precisely the bike you want. By combining the load capacity of a van with the agility of an e-bike, when it comes to business delivery, this is the ultimate green machine. And, whether you’re delivering parcels, perishables, or furniture, there’s a configuration that’s going to meet your needs. Equipped with a Bosch Performance or Cargo Line motor, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and a suspended front fork, not only is this e-bike well-appointed, but it’s fun to ride. With different box styles, the Cargo enables you to deliver loads from 250 to 620 liters to your client’s front door, wherever that may be.

A true family electric cargo bike, the Original is built to make it easier to do all the things you love to do with the kids. Whether you’re heading to the beach, running them over to the school, picking up some groceries, this e-bike is up for the challenge. With two wheels upfront and one in the rear, the Original not only carries a load but keeps everything stable. The bench seats allow for up to four kids to be buckled in or a couple of dogs, depending on your family’s make-up. The 48v 13.6Ah battery features Samsung 35E cells and gets up to 35-miles per charge. The high-power 500w motor delivers 45 Nm of torque, allowing you to overcome hills and tackle trips to the library with ease.

The perfect little, cargo-ready, electric bike that is guaranteed to make your life just a little bit better. With a carrying capacity of 440-lbs and the ability to fit a 6-foot 5-inch person, the compact GSD works for the whole family. And while the GSD has been recently redesigned, it’s still the versatile family electric cargo bike line that has been winning accolades for years. Whether you want to ride with one adult and two children. Maybe two adults and a little cargo. Or perhaps you plan on riding alone with lots of cargo. The GSD has it all handled. The best part is that no matter the configuration or accessories you choose, everything twists or snaps into place. Which makes it super simple for anyone in the family to adjust the bike to just how they want it.

This Urban Arrow offering looks exactly like the sort of bikes that have been commonplace in Copenhagen now decades. Perfect little aerodynamic runabouts that make it easy to balance considerable loads of groceries or children, or whatever. Of course, with the Bosch Cargo Line motor, the pushing is even more effortless. It produces 85Nm of torque, which means if you live in a hilly city, this e-bike is still going to get you around with ease. And with the 500W battery, you have plenty of range to get from here, to there, to anywhere.

The GSD S10 is definitely the introductory model in the Tern inventory, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not a brilliant electric cargo bike. With a carrying capacity of 440-lbs and the ability to fit a 6-foot 5-inch person, the compact S10 is fully capable of functioning as a second vehicle for most families. The extended back platform is incredibly versatile, with hundreds of accessory options to customize this bike for your needs. Multiple kids in carriers, check. A couple of kids without carriers, check. Rear and front cargo box, check. Saddlebags for laptops and office supplies, well, you get the idea. This little e-bike is sufficiently powered, with a Bosch Cargo Line Motor that provides up to 85 Nm of torque. And the Bosch dual-battery system (400/900 Wh) provides a range of up to 121 miles.

With its versatile long-tail and stable structure, this bike is made for big loads and kids that won’t sit still. And with its seemingly endless customization options, you can pretty much carry whatever you want on this electric cargo bike. If you have infants, you can easily connect up to two child seats on the back. And, if your kids are a little older, there is an extended seat option, complete with handles and footboards. Now, if you need extra wide-load capacity. In that case, the Carry-On cargo extenders give you a reliable platform to secure your equipment, and they can hold up to a 300-pound overall weight limit.

At Yuba, when developing the Supermarché, the design team focused on building a quality product that would cover both growing families and small businesses alike. And when you think about it, they both have similar needs. Both parents and small businesses are working as hard as they can to plan it all out, but both know they need to be able to pivot on a dime if the situation requires. With the Supermarche, we have a Bosch powered, electric cargo bike that can glide smoothly through busy streets and wind its way down pathways and back alleys. No matter where you need to be and what you need to bring with you, this is a great bike for getting it done.