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These days everyone is looking to switch to electric vehicles, including the United States Postal Service (USPS). According to Electrek, the USPS is busy testing some fancy little electric e-bikes, or tricycles, for a new mail delivery platform.
Fun fact, the USPS requires mail carriers to turn their vehicle off every single time they exit, then start it back up to move to the next house, mailbox array, or location. It’s expensive and bad for the environment.
Rather than drive around every single city in the United States with gas-guzzling trucks and vans, it looks like the company is testing a new electric bike platform built for carrying heavy cargo loads. These are more of a tricycle than a bike, but they operate similarly.
The cargo electric tricycles are made by the U.S. company Coaster Cycles out of Montana, and each one can carry upwards of 400lbs worth of mail, junk mail, and small packages. The company explains the e-bike platform as a capable and customizable commercial-grade bike.
Each hauler offers nearly 72 cubic feet of space for mail and packages stored safely in the locked enclosure. The trikes get power from an upgraded Bosch Cargo e-bike system, mid-drive motors, and a large 500 Wh battery pack delivering 85 Nm of torque to the mail delivery tricycle.
The bikes come with hydraulic disc brakes, not to mention fully functional headlights and tail lights, and even a backup camera for improved navigation and visibility.
Last year the USPS placed an order for 50,000 new mail vehicles, but only around 10,000 are electric. As a result, it’s received plenty of backlash over the move. While testing these new cargo e-bikes is certainly a step in a different direction, they’ll only be serviceable in small towns, but at least it’s a start.
via Electrek
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