Amid growing environmental concerns and urban congestion, cargo bikes, including their electric counterparts, are enjoying a resurgence. Dubbed the “golden age of electric cargo bikes” by The Verge, this trend signals a potential shift in urban mobility.
In a comprehensive study published in ScienceDirect, researchers Michael Bissel and Sophia Becker assessed how cargo bike-sharing systems influence urban residents’ car ownership and usage patterns. “The results imply that cargo bike sharing has a notable impact on car ownership,” the study found.
“Users who reduced car ownership rated cargo bikes superior compared to car-dependent users,” the study reports. Environmental motives and concerns were consistently cited as the most important reason for people to shed their cars and the most important reason for choosing a transport mode in general.
However, cars are still rated higher in instrumental aspects such as “traffic safety, travel speed, comfort, and changing weather conditions”.