It’s an interesting sight. Anthony Supreme, a filmmaker, photographer, and magazine founder, approaches the vehicle from across the street. The driver, an Amazon delivery person, dons a bike helmet as they set their feet onto the floor pedal system. The pedals rotate, but the vehicle sits idle. It’s recharging before the driver moves on to their next delivery.
“Bro, how is that?” he calls out to the Amazon driver, “Pedal with the battery?” The driver nods in affirmation. It looks like a children’s play ice cream truck, but it’s Amazon’s “new” e-cargo delivery bike…that they’ve spent years piloting and launching in NYC. “So you don’t need a license?” the filmer asks. “Nope,” the driver responds. Supreme posted the clip to his socials, and in less than 24 hours, the video earned over a million views on Instagram.
NYC approved the use of e-cargo bikes last spring
In March 2024, the NYC DOT announced it officially approved and even promoted the use of these new-fangled (at least to U.S. drivers) vehicles. The move is meant to reduce traffic congestion caused by large delivery trucks, which also pollute quite a bit.
Just like other commonly used e-bikes, e-cargo bikes have a small electric motor the driver helps to power via their own pedaling.
“For too long, large trucks have been the only option, bringing congestion and pollution with them,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Low- and no-emission cargo bikes are one of the ways that we’re changing that paradigm, so we can get what we want, when we want it, without poisoning our air or clogging our streets.”
After the announcement, package and grocery delivery e-bikes used on NYC city streets can measure up to 48 inches wide, 16 feet long, 84 inches high, and have up to four wheels. The speed limit for these bikes is 15 mph.
At the same time, the city redefined its use of the term “bicycle” to include “pedal-assist bicycle” and accepted any “commercial bicycle” as a bike used to transport commercial goods. The city also created “Commercial Bicycle Loading Only” zones to support a transition to e-bike delivery.
Amazon has been using e-bikes to deliver groceries for some time now
As it turns out, Amazon has had a whole fleet of e-cargo bikes ready to roll in Manhattan for years now. It makes sense – the bikes are much less expensive to adopt and maintain than larger trucks. Operating them doesn’t require a driver’s license – something that I know is a huge challenge for delivery fleets, having worked closely with commercial auto parts suppliers.
Despite the logical aspects of the plan, Amazon seemed to experience launch pains. In 2021, rumors spread that Amazon paused its e-cargo bike initiative because an employee tipped one over during a training exercise.
In 2022, though, Amazon delivered more than 1.5 million food and grocery orders on foot or via e-bike. Still, there wasn’t an e-cargo bike in sight…well, except for the satellite images of its unused fleet sitting on a Manhattan rooftop.
In 2023, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed it was piloting e-cargo package deliveries out of its Red Hook hub.
While cargo bikes are a fairly common sight around the globe, the U.S. seems to be slower to catch on. Based on the city’s 2024 supportive push, though, Amazon will likely release more and more of the e-cargo bikes into the New York wild…I’m not surprised if they’re waiting for warmer weather to launch more, though.
