Furniture maker, IKEA is testing a solar-powered cargo electric bike for deliveries in the Netherlands and Vilnius, Lithuania. The pilot program in the Netherlands is run by the Delft Ikea store. The yellow and blue Ikea-branded electric three-wheeler is used for deliveries in urban areas around the store. In Vilnius, the maximum weight per order is 30kg to accommodate more deliveries per trip.

Ikea says that the successful pilot run of the e-trike will lead to its expansion to include home deliveries in different parts of the world. The worldwide Ikea franchisor has decided to give its global retailers the possibility of adding the cargo electric bike into their local operations. This is a sustainable, accessible, and cost-effective alternative to traditional home delivery fleets.

The bike has a decently-sized storage box that can accommodate most of IKEA’s products. According to IKEA’s Helene Davidsson, the Sunrider bike can accommodate about 90% of the IKEA product range, with about 98% less carbon emission than diesel alternatives. The bike is also solar-powered, which further enhances its sustainability rating. The Sunrider bike has a range of 100km and its side-mounted solar panels contribute to that range.

The IKEA Sunrider e-bike has a payload capacity of 150kg and can take multiple deliveries at the same time in some instances. It has a front hub motor which is less expensive than the prevalent mid-drive motors in cargo electric three-wheelers. Front-hub motor electric trikes are becoming popular in different markets. There are some improved models in the market that provide a more stable platform for riders needed for heavy-duty haulage.

The cargo e-bike seems to be just up there as there are several heavy-hitting cargo e-bikes in Europe. It has a slim frame and seemingly tiny wheels. The top speed of the bike was not specified and the company has not outlined its rollout plans for the product yet.

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