Also, these aren’t new. Vehicles similar to these (but more commonly with three wheels, one in front and two in the back, and no windshield) have been everywhere in China for decades and used for all kinds of purposes. My early childhood (before my family moved) was filled with these all over the city. They’re a pretty solid light cargo vehicle, but they’re unpowered and can get heavy, so you definitely need to put in the work to move them, especially up a hill. Though powered versions are becoming increasingly common in China and elsewhere, which AFAIK just use the same battery and drive system as an electric scooter or moped, which are also extremely common in China.
Italy also traditionally has tiny three wheeled utility vehicles!
As long as they don’t interfere with bikes and pedestrians. My only fear is that it turns into something like the “hazard lights are park in bike lane” phenomena that some drivers have gotten stuck in their heads. But properly constructed, they look okay to drive and highly functional in dense areas especially.
I agree, and because they look enough like cars they might get some respect in the car lanes.
Until they’re not fast enough to keep up with cars. I got honked at literally today for riding my bike at a reasonable biking speed, in a road where bikers and cars are supposed to use the same the outer lane, because I wasn’t as fast as the car in front of me and this pissed off the driver behind me. Like, fucking merge into the centre lane, I’m not Hercules so 15 kph is all you’re getting out of me!
Yeah, I have been there. Car drivers don’t totally respect other cars either, but they tend to give them a little more space/forgiveness than bikers in my area. I would be interested to see the compared reaction of car drivers between you on your bike going 15 and this thing doing the same.
Cool concept for energy efficiency, but since this is a private delivery company, this will just make the delivery worker’s life even more of a hell than it already is. Because you just know they’re not getting paid a penny more to bust their ass pedaling this, open to the elements, than than they are to a van, and don’t they DARE get below the hourly quota!
And at the end of the day, delivery vehicles are an insignificant minority compared to regular commuters. We should focus first on encouraging regular people to walk, bike, and take public transport, and designing cities conducive to that, and only then should we focus our resources on niche things like this.