Bicycles

Literal ebike freight train can transport over 1,000 lb of cargo

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Pelican's eTrain is a modular system that starts with a basic cargo ebike and grows into a double-trailer train
Pelican
Pelican's eTrain is a modular system that starts with a basic cargo ebike and grows into a double-trailer train
Pelican
The bike and trailers secure together via a coupling, each bringing its own electric drive to ensure enough power to move large loads
Pelican
Each trailer is designed to carry up to 200 kg and 1,500 liters of cargo
Pelican
Pelican offers different solutions for different use cases
Pelican
The base ebike itself is no slouch, ready to carry up to 100 kg and/or 300 L
Pelican
The full Pelican eTrain
Pelican
Pelican's eTrain can carry up to 1,100 lb and/or 3,000 liters of cargo
Pelican
The base ebike is a straightforward ride with computer and basic handlebar steering
Pelican
Pelican eTrain
Pelican
The eTrain easily adjusts from a basic two-wheel e-cargo bike to a single trailer setup to a double-trailer train
Pelican
While Pelican goes with a train, Germany's Cargo Cycle aims for more of a tractor-trailer-like electric cargo bicycle setup
Cargo Cycle
Just like the Pelican eTrain, the Cargo Cycle Nanuk bicycle can decouple from its trailer and work as a cargo ebike on its own
Cargo Cycle
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It's been a good month for French ebike innovations. At the same time the supercap-boosted battery-free Pi-Pop has been motoring its way through headlines, the Pelican eTrain has been earning itself some attention of its own. And that attention is well-deserved, as this modular monster is unlike any other cargo bike system we've seen, combining a capable electric cargo bike with one or two powered trailers to carry up to 1,100 lb (500 kg) and/or 3,000 liters of cargo. It shoulders loads around the city like a small cargo van or pack of mules.

The aluminum-framed Pelican ebike that serves as the engine of its very own freight eTrain is a solid enough bike but not quite as capable a cargo-hauler as something like the Ouca or Trek Fetch+. Its boxed rear frame supports a level rack over top the 20-in rear wheel and two lower racks on the sides of that wheel. The bike also has mounting bolts for a front rack on its tall headset. Pelican lists its capacity at up to 300 liters or 220 lb (100 kg) – not bad, but we know a number of ebikes that are built to carry double that weight.

Pelican offers different solutions for different use cases
Pelican

Those other ebikes do not come with the option of multiplying their volume capacity tenfold or weight-hauling capability fivefold, however. Using Pelican's hitch system, the eTrain bike can do just that, starting things off by towing a large trailer capable of carrying up to 440 lb (200 kg) and/or 1,500 liters of cargo. The trailer features its own e-drive, and Pelican's proprietary control system synchronizes acceleration and braking so that the two vessels move like one unit. Both the bike and trailer motor max out at 111 Nm (82 lb-ft) of torque, providing the pure grunt needed to move industrial-grade loads.

But Pelican doesn't stop there. The eTrain can attach a second self-powered trailer to add another 440 lb and 1,500 liters worth of cargo-hauling capability for a total possible load of 1,100 lb (500 kg) or 3,000 liters, whichever comes first.

The full Pelican eTrain
Pelican

To put that in perspective, a short-wheelbase Ford Transit Connect carries 2,900 liters in its load area, while a Volkswagen Caddy SWB cargo van has a cargo volume of 3,100 liters. So the Pelican eTrain carries roughly a small van's worth of cargo around the city while providing a greener solution that gives the rider some exercise along the way. Since the trailers essentially power their own weight, they don't hold the rider back, allowing them to pedal as comfortably as on the cargo bike alone – or at least that's how the system is designed to work, we'd hate to be on the business end of a snafu anywhere near a hill.

Pelican's eTrain can carry up to 1,100 lb and/or 3,000 liters of cargo
Pelican

Speaking of hills, Pelican says that the bike and a single trailer can handle 18% grades with a full load in tow. The bike and trailers have individual battery packs for a modest 31 miles (50 km) of range under full load. Pelican says that an emergency brake automatically kicks on to immobilize the trailer should it break loose from the bike.

The eTrain surpasses a similar cargo ebike/e-trailer setup we've looked at, the 700-lb-rated (318-kg) Tern/Carla Cargo duo, but it does fall short of at least one ebike/trailer combo we've come across in the past. The Nanuk Megaliner from Germany's Cargo Cycle looks like the pure embodiment of an "ebike tractor-trailer," and while it has the same 1,100-lb (500-kg) payload as the eTrain, the massive Megaliner box trailer can swallow a full 4,000 liters of cargo.

While Pelican goes with a train, Germany's Cargo Cycle aims for more of a tractor-trailer-like electric cargo bicycle setup
Cargo Cycle

Cargo Cycle's Nanuk "tractor" can be decoupled from the Megaliner trailer, serving as a capable e-cargo trike on its own with capacity for up to 440 lb (200 kg) and/or 1,600 liters. By comparison, the eTrain system has more modularity, going from a compact, regularly sized electric cargo bike to a long double-trailer train.

Pelican offers the eTrain for both sale and rental. The latter is good news if you might have a single use for such a contraption – perhaps moving from one apartment to another without a traditional motor vehicle – but don't have the space, money or desire to own one. Retail pricing starts at €4,500 (approx. US$4,900), while rentals start at €15 per day or €45 per month.

Source: Pelican

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2 comments
fen
They get away with it because they are big companies, but in my country these break the law.

In australia the first listed country on wiki, they define bikes as 2-3 wheeled. (going to 4 means youre into quad/car/van territory). Also the combined power of all the motors cant be more than 200watts, so you can't just put 3 trailers in a row with 200watt each.. I couldnt find german specific law, but EU wide law allows each country to define a bicycle themselves but inists that the total power of an "electric bike" not go over 250watt.

They specifically wanted to make this kind of thing illegal at the start, a train of 250 motors linked together, people with 1000w bikes. Pelicans site says that their motor is 250w EU compliant, and that the motors are linked, but they must be breaking the law, if the total output is limited to 250w across 3/4 motors, then why not just haul using a 250w bike with unpowered trailers?
WONKY KLERKY
Beware the top heavy loads as would appear to be illustrated by the 'DPP loads' in the illustrations.
Explanatory:
Once the tilt to, especially, a trailer load starts, on probably a turn on a side gradient,
there will be no stopping it and the whole train will wind-up to a topple over.