5 minute read
Electric Assisted Vehicles
EAV PROFILE 12
Oxfordshire-based mobility firm, Electric Assisted Vehicles (EAV) is transforming the world of last mile deliveries. Charlie Atkinson visited the company’s headquarters to find out how these innovative electric vehicles are changing the game for urban deliveries.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of a disused RAF station in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, is Electric Assisted Vehicles, or EAV (pronounced Eve), a company that has created and developed a series of pioneering eCargo Bikes, designed to decarbonize the last-mile delivery sector. The company’s vehicles, which have already been used by the likes of DPD and Ocado, are fourwheeled e-bikes, assisted by an electric motor with a design which has been specifically tailored for inner-city deliveries. Whilst the bikes themselves are quick, agile and perfectly suited for urban landscapes, they are also as sustainable as possible. Fully-electric and manufactured out of eco-friendly steel tubing and flax composite, EAV’s eCargo bikes have a range of around 45 miles and a recharge time of between six and seven hours. As the world searches for eco-friendly, zeroemission alternatives to all forms of transport, founder and CEO of EAV, Adam Barmby, explained why it so important to decarbonize the industry of last-mile deliveries.
He said: “It’s a big polluter from a carbon point of view, but actually it’s also the largest cost. The final mile usually accounts for more than 50% of the total cost of delivery so the carriers want a much easier, quicker and cheaper solution to do that last mile delivery. “With a vehicle like this, you can pretty much guarantee your journey times, you can go down cycle lanes, into pedestrian zones, you can park inside, you can’t get a parking ticket and you are averaging twice the speed than you would in a van in the city centre.” It is no secret that the world is moving towards an electric future, and products such as EAV’s electric assisted eCargo Bikes are just one piece of a much larger puzzle. When discussing what else can be done to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, Barmby believes it is all about taking cars out of cities and tailoring the spaces for pedestrians, cyclists and electric and zero-emission vehicles. He continued: “Intercity, you’re never going to get rid of that sort of long-haul lorry, big van area, but inner city, vehicles will be banned, whether they’re electric or not. That’s already starting in parts of London, Bristol etc, especially even in
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Europe. Paris is a fantastic model for how I think the future of our cities look because it basically just got rid of all the all the roads and they’re now cycle lanes and pedestrian zones. “If you’re asking me what I think in the future of inner urban mobility, it doesn’t involve a car in it. It includes micro-mobility based products and we are actually involved in different micromobility infrastructure projects where we can showcase where we think that this sort of commercial led micro-mobility has to fit into our current infrastructure which is not what we have right now. Equally, the government has set aside £2 billion in the UK for cycling and walking infrastructure and that will be a very large part of our city.” The vehicles have certainly proved popular, with an impressive range of clients consisting of DPD, Asda, DHL and Ocado to name a few. In October, the company also announced a deal with LaundryHeap to supply 200 eCargo vehicles throughout 2021 and 2022, worth £2.6 million. “Companies like LaundryHeap are perfect partners for us.,” said Leo Bethell, head of business partnerships at EAV. “They have environmental sustainability at the heart of their operations, but they need the highest levels of efficiency and performance to achieve their business objectives. Using eCargo bikes in urban environments is much more efficient and effective than vans, combustion engine or electric. We’re lighter and quicker and easier to operate.”
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Review
Weighing at only 170kg, EAV’s standard 2Cubed eCargo bike has all the characteristics of any electric vehicle. Perfectly described by Barmby as “an electric car but with handlebars,” the bike is grinningly nippy and remains flexible and nimble even when travelling at a decent pace. It certainly does feel faster than the maximum assisted speed of just 15mph, but that is probably a sensible limit considering these bikes will be working amongst the hustle and bustle of lively city centres. Of course, I got to play around with this bike whilst it was empty, and so when this vehicle is fully stocked with up to a 150kg payload (with 2000L storage space), it will feel a lot more rooted and controlled, but the power from the 48V battery will retain the thrust and energy that a vehicle like this needs. EAV’s eCargo bikes are as fun as they are practical, and starting from just over £12,000 and with a variety of new models scheduled for release soon, you may be seeing more and more of these little bikes near you in no time at all. With a variety of new models scheduled for release “ soon, you may be seeing more and more of these little bikes near you in no time at all. ”
