Ringway, part of the French group Vinci, has bought an EAV2Cubed cargo bike, made by Electric Assisted Vehicles Ltd, based in Bicester.
Technically it is not a rickshaw – rickshaws have three wheels; this bike has four.
Ringway ran a three-wheeler EAV battery-powered cargo bike for a six-month trial last year, conducting surveys and fixing defects and has now put it into full-time operations. The three-wheeler had the cargo box at the front. The new four-wheeled bike has a 2,000 litre load space behind the rider, with a 150 kg payload.
Ringway uses it to carry springer cones, a foldable footway barrier, foldable ladder, cleaning materials plus associated tools and equipment – enough gear for graffiti removals, resetting bollards, signage works, minor tree works, and fixing cycleway/footpath defects. With a range of 60-miles on full charge the goal is to fulfil more tasks without needing to return to the depot to recharge batteries. Ringway says this is all part of its drive to reduce be eco-friendly.
Framework director Paul Herbert said: “The EAV is newest addition to the e-bike logistics solution which will be operating from our rapid distribution hubs located across multiple central London locations helping to reduce peak time congestion. Putting the EAV into use is a major step forward in our aim to decarbonise what we do for all of our customers, end users, and our client TfL.”
Transport for London director of network management Glynn Barton said: “Cargo bikes are a brilliant way of reducing the congestion, air pollution and emissions that traditional motor vehicles can cause."
Ringway is not the first highway maintenance contractor in London to use a cargo bike. FM Conway has a pair of two-wheeler e-cargo bikes, with a low-level platform at the front (pictured below).
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