Cityshuttle has revealed the ePack, a miniature pedal-powered semitruck that could change the way we transport goods.
The vehicle can carry up to 771 pounds (350 kilograms) of cargo in its 4,000-liter (4 cubic meters) trailer, according to CleanTechnica. If that sounds like a lot for one biker to pedal on their own, fear not — with a design similar to an eBike, the ePack features an electric assist system that uses dual 250-watt electric motors that can assist a driver's pedaling up to 15.5 mph (25 kmh).
Like a traditional delivery vehicle, the ePack has turn signals, brake lights, tail lights, a GPS tracker, CCTV cameras, locking doors, and alarms that make it much more similar to a car or truck than a typical pedal-powered vehicle.
With a frame that's only about 3 feet (90 centimeters) wide, the ePack is narrow enough to fit in most bike lanes but is also legal to drive on the main lanes of city streets. For safety, it boasts hydraulic disc brakes as well as double wishbone suspension on all six of its wheels. On the exterior, the vehicle has large QLED screens that display advertisements, which helps offset the cost of the vehicle.
The ePack's range is between 37 and 62 miles (60 to 100 km) on a single charge, and the battery pack can be swapped easily.
There's no word yet on an availability timeline, but another one of the company's products, a ridesharing system called GECO using similar vehicles, will hit streets at some time in 2024, and there's a spot on its website to inquire about the future of the GECO.
Transportation accounts for a bigger share of dangerous planet-heating pollution than any other sector — about 28% in 2022, according to the EPA — so finding alternatives to gas-guzzling vehicles is an essential step toward a cooler, greener future. It's especially important to swap out polluting delivery vehicles, as Scientific American estimates that with an increased reliance on delivery services, pollution from delivery vehicles alone could increase by 32% in the next 10 years, emitting 6 million tons.
Fortunately, numerous steps are being taken toward cleaner delivery vehicles. Services like the United States Postal Service and companies like Walmart and Domino's are all investing in electric delivery vehicles that have zero tailpipe pollution.
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