Back in 2019, German start-up ONOMOTION delivered a bold prototype of what would eventually be
today’s ONO Electric Delivery Vehicle. The company had been developing e-vehicles as early as 2016
but pivoted to e-cargo bikes in the spring of 2017.
By 2020, the Berlin-based e-mobility company began delivering the first ONOs,
initially to the German market and then to the rest of Europe.
At the heart of the ONO is a delta trike, one wheel at the front and two at the rear,
with the driver enclosed in a weatherproof windshield-wiper-equipped cabin.
A custom-built container on caster wheels sits behind the driver’s cab
and can be swapped in and out via the integrated ramp at the rear.
This way, delivery drivers and couriers can have whole, pre-loaded containers
collected from depots and swapped out instantly.
These containers have a storage volume of over two cubic meters.
They can carry a maximum full-laden cargo of 200 kilograms.
There are also plans for climate-controlled containers for food and medical deliveries.
In terms of power, you’re welcome to go oldskool and pedal your entire delivery route.
But a hot-swappable 1.4 kWh GreenPack lithium battery paired with dual wheel hub motors
can help riders reach a maximum speed of (16mph) 25 kilometers per hour.
On the other hand, if you don’t feel like pedaling,
the handlebar-mounted throttle provides (4 mph) 6 kilometers per hour of unassisted power.
Just one of these batteries is suitable for a range of about 30 kilometers,
but this can be doubled if a second battery is added.
Set up over select locations in Berlin, riders can drop into an ONO battery exchange station
and swap out their dead batteries for freshly-charged equivalents.
There are no keys on the ONO, just an RFID sensor
activated by a specially-coded chip that locks the driver’s cabin and container doors.
This allows you to decouple the container from the main unit.
Also on board, riders will find GPS tracking, integrated lighting that includes headlights
and indicator lamps, wing mirrors, and a full-featured LCD dashboard display.
You’ll find ONO retailers and battery exchange locations across most of Germany’s major cities
with plans to expand into other Northern European locations in the next few years.
One of the most interesting elements of the ONO is that outright ownership
isn’t the only way to get your hand on one. ONOMOTION offers a subscription or
month-by-month service that includes battery exchange for around 490 Euros per month.
Could you utilize a battery-exchange program
instead of managing your own recharging? Let us know in the comments below!
Now don’t go anywhere. We’re gonna take a look at some of
our favorite e-transports so far!
The way things sit right now, around ninety percent of drivers use vehicles that are too
expensive, polluting, and oversized for what is ultimately very short distances.
Arcimoto is just one player who wants to tackle that inefficiency
and help the globe reach a greener pasture and future.
Their recent steps include expanding their organization by quintupling
the size of their operations and starting to mass-produce their line of personal vehicles,
which offer a much more energy-efficient and cleaner alternative to automobiles.
One of those personal vehicles is their pedal-generator tilting e-trike
codenamed the Mean Lean Machine.
Their e-trike will be able to cut turns like its two-wheeled contemporaries, by utilizing
Arcimoto’s patented lean technology but with the stability and traction of three wheels.
While info on their tough trike is limited, we know that they aim for a range of more than
two hundred miles per charge, with each wheel powered by its own electric motor hub.
The trike works without chains or belt drives thanks to a pedal generator that
can accumulate energy and easily be used by the thumb throttle.
There are also talks of workout implements in the future so that
you can set it up in your home and get some cardio in.
Let us know if you want to see more from Arcimoto and their electric trike
later this year upon release!
We’re seeing many large automotive companies taking steps toward electric,
and Honda is no different. In 2019, the Japanese company released their first
electric delivery scooter, the Benly e, designed for business fleets.
Then after the Benly e came another addition to their ongoing Gyro series with the Gyro e Cargo
Trike. And now, we are taking a look at the latest addition to that series, the Gyro Canopy e.
Per charge, the Gyro Canopy e sees a range of just under 48 miles with
an average speed of 18.6 miles per hour.
This three-wheeler from Honda has a contract attached.
As part of its 100% zero-emission by 2040, Honda asks that customers sign
a contract to return all batteries that are no longer in use.
If you’re willing to take the pledge, you’re looking at a price of around $6,200.
When it comes to wheels, we like 'em fat. And just as well, because the Fat 2.0 has three of them.
Designed and manufactured by Spanish company Etnnic, the Fat 2.0 is an all-terrain electric
reverse tricycle built for those who like to veer off the main roads and into some adventure.
The Kendra 20 x 4-inch tires prevent slipping and sliding on everything from sand to gravel,
muddy terrain, even snow!
The Fat2.0 is fitted with high-quality European components,
namely Saccon brakes, SKS guards, and the saddle from Selle Marco.
The aluminum, low-step frame is adjustable and easy to mount,
providing a stable and comfortable riding experience.
Also, the wheels can be easily detached for transport or if you're low on storage space.
Now, while there is a pedal-only version available for those that enjoy hard work, the Fat 2.0 does
come with a range of motor and battery options. The cleverly integrated central motor can be 250w,
350w, 500w, 750w, or 1000w with either a 13aH or 17.5Ah battery providing the power.
The is a downside for those less-than-enthusiastic cyclists out there,
the motor can only be engaged if the rider is pedaling.