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Getting around on a bicycle can be an excellent way to clean up our daily commutes and errand runs, but sometimes you need a little bit of a boost, which is where electric bikes come in. And sometimes you need a little more space to haul groceries and gear with you, which is where cargo bikes come in. Combine the two, and you've got an efficient and fun way to not only get from point A to point B, but to also get the shopping home in a single trip without having to stack boxes and bags on your rear rack until you're wobbling your way precariously down the road (been there, done that).
The capital of Norway, Oslo, is looking to get more of its citizens out of their cars and onto bikes, and more specifically, onto a set of wheels that is made to haul more than just a single person, in the form of grants covering part of the cost of an electric cargo bike. Last year, the city council offered residents a financial incentive toward buying an electric bike, up to 20% of the purchase price of an e-bike, capped at 5000 kroner (about $600). Now that effort has been extended a bit into an electric cargo bike grant program, which will cover part of the cost of purchase of one of these electric workhorses.
Is it the cost of cargo bikes that keeps people from buying them, or the lack of secure parking in city apartment buildings?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Friday February 17 2017, @12:56AM
1. Norway... a bit cold in winter.
2. If the batteries are fixed into the bicycle/cargo frame... enclosed parking around 20C (can't recharge batteries at low temperature - ions don't have enough mobility)
I wouldn't like to be around when a battery pack catches fire nearby others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Informative) by bob_super on Friday February 17 2017, @01:35AM
1. I went there in January, and it was warmer than Chicago. Real Vikings don't make a huge deal about it: They took me on a nice horse ride despite the sub-freezing temps.
2. Detachable batteries do exist, allowing swapping for range, charging convenience, and reducing temptations of uncivil behaviors.
(Score: 4, Informative) by RedGreen on Friday February 17 2017, @01:38AM
"2. If the batteries are fixed into the bicycle/cargo frame"
Got a friend who has one of them the battery is removable and in his model lives under the seat. In Canada here and get plenty of the cold/snow he only uses it in the April-October time frame and takes the battery out to bring in the house when it stored for the winter in his shed.
"I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen
(Score: 3, Informative) by iwoloschin on Friday February 17 2017, @02:21AM
1) I live in Boston, bike (on a cargo bike!) through the winter just fine here. As long as it's above about 0°F (about -17°C) it's fine, even without super fancy gear. The only bike specific items I have are gloves, everything else is winter sports gear, along with a pair of Bogs boots.
2) No good electric cargo bike has a fixed battery, because how would you charge it? Mine the battery is locked to the frame, but it pops off in about 5 seconds with the key. It's Lithium Ion, so it's fairly small/light for the amount of power it packs.
As far as battery fires...it's no worse than the Teslas driving around here, and if anything, significantly safer.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Friday February 17 2017, @02:25AM
Don't know about Norway, but here (Canada) apartment rules seem to be biased towards motor-vehicles.
You may get a free parking space, but the lease often stipulates that you are only allowed to park a "licensed vehicle" in it.
If I wanted to be charitable, I can assume they don't want a broken-down project car parked there. However, the wording also excludes various trike designs that are really too cumbersome to drag inside all the time.
(Score: 2) by number11 on Friday February 17 2017, @03:00AM
In the US, a lot of cities issue bike licenses (usually a decal). Most bike riders don't get them. But if your city issues bike licenses, seems like that would meet the formal requirement.
(Score: 1) by DeathElk on Friday February 17 2017, @03:55AM
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday February 17 2017, @04:48AM
Yes, maybe, but batteries don't that work well when cold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford