The electric cargo bike in all its forms (two-wheeler, three-wheeler, longtail, etc.) is becoming increasingly popular. Between 2020 and 2021, the volume of sales has increased by 65.9% in Europe. Whether for professional or private use, they are taking our cities by storm and reinventing mobility. However, certain obstacles to purchase and use remain. In order to increase the potential for conquest and consolidate the trend, connectivity enables brands to improve the cargo bike experience and build loyalty among cyclists.
Connectivity to protect electric cargo bikes from theft
With an average purchase price of 4000 euros, electric cargo bikes can be a source of envy. Every year in France, 2.9 million electric bikes are stolen, that is 331 thefts per hour (Source: Vélo perdu ). Of this large number, only 100,000 are recovered and due to lack of identification, only a tiny fraction is returned to their owners. Faced with this situation, it is essential to offer services that allow cyclists to ensure the safety of their bikes.
The solutions that currently exist on the market are designed to deter theft, but once the theft is committed, it can be difficult to find the bike. Connectivity removes this obstacle and allows a wide range of anti-theft services:
- Notification in case of suspicious movement
- The triggering of an audible alarm
- The possibility to remotely cut off the electric assistance, making it difficult to move the bike, which is particularly problematic for an ACEV.
- Precise geolocation of the bike in order to know and communicate its position to the police
hese services allow cyclists to enjoy their bikes peacefully in urban areas and, in the event of theft, despite a complete deterrent system, to maximize their chances of recovering it.
An optimal maintenance of electric cargo bikes thanks to connectivity
A daily use of an electric cargo bike also requires regular maintenance. In addition to extending the life of the cargo bike, maintenance also provides a better customer experience. It avoids daily breakdowns and ensures a safe use of the electric bike for individuals and professionals.
Moreover, it is not easy for a neophyte to know the right gestures to make or the right signals to detect. Thus a bad manipulation can harm the good functioning of the bicycle or even put the cyclist in danger. It is therefore essential to accompany the rider to prevent these risks and allow him to fully enjoy his electric cargo bike.
Maintenance for individuals: a daily comfort
For individuals, families are the ones who use electric cargo bikes the most. For transporting children or shopping, these bikes fit well into their habits by replacing a potential second car.
The maintenance of the electric cargo bike is all the more important as it is part of the cyclists’ daily routine. It will allow families to avoid the frustration of a morning breakdown before starting the day or during the day, between two trips.
For professionals: better productivity through maintenance
Professionals are also concerned by the electric cargo bike trend. Faced with rising fuel prices, increasingly congested cities and environmental issues, more and more professionals are opting for cargo bikes as a mean of transportation. This summer, the giant Amazon also applied measures taken by groups such as La Poste for last mile delivery via electric cargo bike. Beyond the delivery sector, the electric cargo bike is appealing to companies of all sizes and in all sectors.
For a company, the maintenance of the electric cargo bike is an essential point. Indeed, it is preferable to opt for preventive maintenance instead of a curative one. While the latter occurs randomly when a breakdown occurs, the former allows you to anticipate the point of failure. Curative maintenance risks paralyzing the equipment for an unforeseen period of time, which will have an impact on the productivity of the activity.
For a company, the maintenance of the electric cargo bike is an essential point. Indeed, it is preferable to opt for a preventive maintenance instead of curative. The former allows to plan and anticipate before the breaking point while the latter occurs randomly when a breakdown occurs. Curative maintenance risks paralyzing the equipment for an unplanned period of time, impacting the productivity of the activity.
For individuals and professionals alike, it can be difficult to have the right maintenance reflexes. Through its Velco Rider application, Velco addresses this issue. In its new update, the application in a dedicated tab gives the opportunity to brands to give the right gestures to their users.
In this tab, it is possible to give cyclists access to several elements such as:
- A customizable panel of tips for bike maintenance,
- Notifications and alerts for changing sensitive components such as brakes, wheels, etc.
- Information on battery status and remaining charging cycles
Connectivity for optimal management of electric cargo bike fleets
Connectivity facilitates the piloting and the fleet management of electric cargo bikes. Data is collected and transformed into a service to obtain statistics and analyze the fleet’s performance. Maintenance is anticipated and smoothed and the fleet is protected against theft, to reduce downtime and replacement costs.
By connecting your electric cargo bikes, you will be able to manage your fleet in real time by collecting a battery of data such as:
- Real time position
- The percentage of battery remaining on the bike
- Bike status: parked or on the move
- Average distance traveled
- Frequented areas
- Average speed
Once collected and analyzed, this data will allow you to adjust your strategy and the use of the bikes in your fleet. Reports can also be produced on the basis of this data to justify financing or provide proof of your CSR commitment.
With its IoT products and SaaS suite, Velco enables brands and fleet managers to connect their electric bikes to take advantage of the benefits of connectivity. Whether for maintenance or to create a link, connectivity will enhance the attractiveness of your bikes by improving the customer experience!