eCargo bike provider – Fully Charged, spoke with Doug Hutchinson, Head of Sameday, to find out why eCargo bikes are a great addition to our fleet.
What was the attraction of eCargo bikes?
We were struggling to maintain a service level in London using four-wheeled vehicles to deliver items. It was particularly challenging in central London as we work very heavily across different industries, such as Fashion, PR, and of course the more traditional banking and legal sectors. Recruiting van drivers was becoming a real challenge and once they were out on the road they were getting delayed in traffic, receiving parking tickets and faced further delays trying to avoid road closures. After a successful trial with pedal cargo bikes we realised the advantages on offer.
eCargo bikes have been a highly successful investment for Absolutely, especially with their geographic advantage which means the bikes are able to travel all around London. The eCargo bikes are ULEZ compliant which gives them access to areas restricted to petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles. In addition, they are exempt from the ULEZ daily charge, and this is a saving we can pass onto our customers which ultimately means we can offer a cost-effective service.
Why are eCargo bikes better than vans?
All of our fleet vehicles incur an initial outlay which is essentially another expense. A van, for instance, has to factor any costs of the congestion charge, fuel and other consumables, servicing, potential parking tickets and general running expenses. There is a growing problem in regards to commercial insurance as it’s becoming increasingly expensive. With eCargo bikes, the initial outlay is smaller, and the ongoing servicing and maintenance costs are more modest.
They do not pay the congestion charge or the ULEZ daily charge. Charging the batteries is virtually an insignificant expense – it costs very little to charge a bike – and there aren’t any parking fines to deal with.
We still need to maintain our four-wheeled fleet, so we’re continuously investing in vans of all sizes. However, we are augmenting this fleet with a very strong backbone of eCargo bikes. A small van can approximately make 12 deliveries in a single day – an eCargo bike can do 30.
The carrying capacity of our extra large eCargo bike is equivalent to a small van which makes these bikes very flexible to our controllers. eCargo bikes can cut through traffic easily and ensure deliveries are made on time. Parking is basically a nonexistent issue, so we know that time isn’t being wasted from collection point to delivery location. Our customers value the speed and environmental benefits of our eCargo bike fleet ‚Äî everyone is pleased to see their items delivered by an eCargo bike.
Why did you use the eCargo Bike Scheme?
The Energy Savings Trust’s new eCargo bike grant scheme is a real game changer for our industry. It will allow us to increase our eCargo bike fleet and improve our green credentials without having to shoulder the entire cost of managing new bikes.
Why choose Fully Charged?
Fully Charged has a wide range of eCargo bikes and this gave us plenty of options to choose from. We were highly impressed with the expertise of the staff and this was another factor that led to our decision. We could see how passionate they were about their bikes and why they were the ideal solution to our problem. We carried out a few test rides which gave us the opportunity to see the bikes in action. From there we knew the eCargo bikes were the right choice.
Fully Charged provides us with a valuable service plan. If one of our bikes has a technical fault, they’ll immediately handle the situation and are able to guarantee a quick turn around time too.
Go green today
With our fleet of eCargo bikes supplied by Fully Charged, we can provide a carbon neutral solution in central London. Contact us on 020 7685 1114 or go to Cargo Bike Courier Service to find out more.
