Bicycles for Urban Freight

Within the last decade, cargo bikes have gained growing attention from municipalities, practitioners, and researchers alike. Due to electrification and model diversification, this vehicle concept is thought to be both environment-friendly and a viable solution for the last-mile of freight transport in specific urban areas. While some branches of logistics, such as point-to-point courier shipments or meal deliveries might allow for a direct substitution of conventional vehicles by cargo bikes, there is a need for new delivery concepts, such as micro-depots, to deal with the prerequisites of the parcel market. This article introduces historic developments and recent characteristics of cargo bikes and their deployment for freight transport. Knowing the infrastructural particularities and experiences from "real life" applications helps understanding the potential and limitations of this type of commercial vehicle