As electric bicycles quickly expand delivery options for companies in densely populated urban areas, other interesting solutions are also starting to pop up. One unique alternative is the Scootility cargo electric scooter that is designed to perform a similar role, yet with a slightly different vantage point.
And a slightly different ride.
Because of its design as an electric scooter, the Scootility puts its rider in an upright position. Unlike a seated e-bike, that means the rider has a bit higher view of the road.
However, it also means he or she has much smaller diameter wheels to work with.
The tradeoff though is that smaller wheels mean more space for cargo.
If you look at cargo electric bikes, the size of the wheels is the largest limiting factor to the cargo space. That’s why many cargo e-bikes have shifted towards smaller 20″ wheels instead of larger 26″-28″ wheels – it helps buy back a bit more cargo space.
But the tiny wheels on the Scootility electric cargo offer even more real estate for hauling room. In this case, a 140L (37 gallon) cargo case has been designed into the Scootility scooter as a removable and swappable component. Delivery riders can roll up to a depot with an empty cargo box and swap in a filled box, ready to rock and roll in seconds.
Scootility says that its design has major advantages over alternative methods already in use for cargo delivery. According to the company, its scooter is smaller and more compact than delivery cars and vans, has more capacity than a regular e-bike, is more maneuverable than a cargo e-bike, and is more stable than an electric moped.
Small wheels usually decrease ride quality, but the full-suspension design should help mitigate much of the road shock and vibrations.
Scootility talks a big game about the advantages of their setup, and it does look like a slick design. But until the company begins production and we can see how it stacks up against existing cargo e-bikes in real life, it may be a tough sell in an industry dominated by established players.
To be fair, this isn’t the first electric cargo scooter we’ve seen, though they are normally a bit more on the motorbike end of the spectrum.
However, I have personally tested an interesting standing cargo e-scooter known as the AirGlide from Artful Design.
You can see me testing that one in my roundup video from Micromobility America, below.
via: New Atlas
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.