E-cargo bikes can replace car trips and reshape family travel

Electric cargo (e-cargo) bikes can replace many car journeys, from school runs to shopping trips and family outings, according to new research. They also have the potential to shift how families and communities perceive cycling, making it a more practical and inclusive everyday option.

The research shows that e-cargo bikes can do many of the jobs we rely on cars for, while also bringing the social benefits of cycling. The research is also helping to normalize cycling and change views in places where cycling doesn’t always have a positive image.

Researchers analyzed the experiences of 49 households who trialed e-cargo bikes as part of a loan scheme in British suburbs. The study included researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Brighton and University of Leeds University of Oxford.

New social norms

Published in the journal Geoforum, the study found that e-cargo bikes are not only practical alternatives to cars for some but also foster new social norms and cultural identities around family, community and sustainable travel.

They showed that e-cargo bikes offer a hybrid experience for users, allowing interaction between riders and passengers, somewhat vehicle-like, while still connecting users to their local surroundings.

Key findings of the study include the following:

• Everyday practicality: Study participants used e-cargo bikes for lots of reasons including school runs, food shopping and commuting, trips often seen as only possible by car. More than a technical trait, this everyday practicality encourages a cultural shift, normalizing cycling as utility activity beyond leisure or sport.

• Family mobility: Unlike conventional cycling by individuals, e-cargo bikes often involved carrying children or passengers, creating a sense of shared family travel. It enabled interactions between rider and passengers, not hugely dissimilar to traveling by car.

• Community connection: Riders reported feeling more connected to local communities compared to car use, describing e-cargo cycling as “part of the neighborhood.”

• Novel and unconventional: While most interactions were positive, some riders experienced feelings of being unconventional or out-of-place, linked to concerns over child safety.

More than a novelty

Clara Glachant of the Eindhoven University of Technology and lead author of the study, said, “This trial shows e-cargo bikes are more than a novelty. They can fit into everyday family life. Our findings suggest that e-cargo cycling may help cultivate a cycling culture both at the household level and the community level. They may reshape ideas of who belongs on the road, who is entitled to space. This could help to reduce anti-cyclist sentiment which would help active travel contribute more to sustainable transport.

“It’s also about culture: people’s habits, identities and perceptions of transport. Our research shows e-cargo bikes can help reshape these, challenging what psychologist Ian Walker has coined ‘motonormativity,’ a concept that describes society’s unconscious acceptance of car dominance and making cycling feel like a more normal, mainstream choice.”

The ELEVATE project

Professor Ian Philips of the University of Leeds, who leads the ELEctric Vehicles for Active and Digital TravEl (ELEVATE) project, said, “The ELEVATE project is about understanding who might benefit from using e-cargo bikes and other e-micromobility in what circumstances and to understand if that has a positive effect on carbon emissions, health and other important aspects of people’s lives.

“Clara’s work on the project helps us see more about how e-cargo bikes fit into daily life in terms of culture, perceptions and identities around active travel.”

Combining innovative technology

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), said, “This research shows that transforming transport sustainably means combining innovative technology with an understanding of people’s everyday choices and behaviors.

“New designs in e-cargo bikes are making them more practical and accessible, helping families replace short car trips. They can cut congestion and emissions while opening up cycling to more women and children. Through projects like ELEVATE, EPSRC is supporting innovations that have the potential to change how we travel and create healthier, more connected communities.”

Individual perceptions

The research highlights that shifting towards low-carbon transport isn’t just about infrastructure or technology but also about how people perceive themselves and cultural perceptions associated with transport modes.

The National Travel Survey data published in 2024, shows while 81% of journeys under one mile in length in 2023 were made by foot, 17% were made by car or van.

For journeys between one and five miles, 69% were made by car or van, compared to 19% by foot and 6% by bus. Between five and 10 miles, 83% of journeys were made by car or van.

More connected communities

Encouraging e-cargo bike use could help reduce urban congestion, lower emissions and create healthier, more connected communities.

The researchers add that as cycle commuting in the UK is male-dominated, e-cargo bikes may help include more women and children in utility cycling.