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Urban Transport

Mate SUV cargo ebike designed to replace its automotive namesake

By Paul Ridden
December 16, 2022
Mate SUV cargo ebike designed to replace its automotive namesake
"The first real alternative to a car is here," said Mate Bike at launch. "The Mate SUV will change the way you move, forever."
"The first real alternative to a car is here," said Mate Bike at launch. "The Mate SUV will change the way you move, forever."
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"The first real alternative to a car is here," said Mate Bike at launch. "The Mate SUV will change the way you move, forever."
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"The first real alternative to a car is here," said Mate Bike at launch. "The Mate SUV will change the way you move, forever."
The Mate SUV's 210-liter cargo bin can be optioned with various modules, including a rain cover, seating and a hard top
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The Mate SUV's 210-liter cargo bin can be optioned with various modules, including a rain cover, seating and a hard top
The Mate SUV will go into production from Q3 2023, and features a 250-W mid-mount motor, Enviolo geared hub, and a 100-km battery
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The Mate SUV will go into production from Q3 2023, and features a 250-W mid-mount motor, Enviolo geared hub, and a 100-km battery
The lift-up lid for the cargo bin can be had with side panels and a rain cover
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The lift-up lid for the cargo bin can be had with side panels and a rain cover
The Mate SUV features a frame made from 90% recycled aluminum, a pulsing light bar for improved visibility and its motor provides torque-sensing pedal-assist up to 25 km/h
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The Mate SUV features a frame made from 90% recycled aluminum, a pulsing light bar for improved visibility and its motor provides torque-sensing pedal-assist up to 25 km/h
The Mate SUV has nabbed Gold in the 2023 German Design Awards "for its idea of presenting a real alternative to the car"
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The Mate SUV has nabbed Gold in the 2023 German Design Awards "for its idea of presenting a real alternative to the car"
View gallery - 6 images

We've seen a few pedal-assist bikes pitched as alternatives to the family car recently, including the Vanmoof V, Lectric's XPremium and the Pino Cargo from Hase Bikes. The latest to throw down the e-mobility gauntlet is the capable-looking Mate SUV.

Danish e-mobility outfit Mate is presenting its playfully named cargo ebike – or e-trike – as a genuine alternative to getting around our cities by car, inviting us to "imagine life on the road without being stuck in traffic and never having to pay for another parking ticket, yet have the comfort of a SUV."

It's not going to match everyone's needs perfectly but for many journeys it could certainly see the family car remain in the driveway – particularly for short hops to the store, hauling a child or two to school or for small businesses looking for cleaner ways to deliver goods locally.

At this stage, all we have are renders and a few key specs. The reverse e-trike is being produced for EU and UK markets, and has been designed in Denmark, engineered in Germany and will be produced in Italy from next year.

The lift-up lid for the cargo bin can be had with side panels and a rain cover
The lift-up lid for the cargo bin can be had with side panels and a rain cover

It sports a torque-sensing 250-W mid-mount motor for 90 Nm (66 lb.ft) of torque and EU-friendly pedal-assist up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph). It lacks a mechanical groupset but does come with a belt drive paired with an Enviolo geared hub. And the battery is expected to offer up to 100 km (62 miles) of per-charge range.

The frame is fashioned from 90% recycled aluminum, the 210-liter cargo box rocks funky pulsing LED strip lighting and can accommodate a lift-up tubular safety bar up top, and can be optioned with a strap-down rain cover (to protect packages from the elements) or you can pop in seating and add a hard top with windows for the school run.

The Mate SUV has nabbed Gold in the 2023 German Design Awards "for its idea of presenting a real alternative to the car"
The Mate SUV has nabbed Gold in the 2023 German Design Awards "for its idea of presenting a real alternative to the car"

The SUV will come with 4G connectivity cooked in for "live location tracking and anti-theft protection" using a smartphone, which can also tap into battery status, route planning and remote alarm features. The two wheels to the front and one to the rear can be optioned with road tires or chunky off-road wrappers, and stopping power will be provided by hydraulic disc braking.

"We wanted to bring something exceptional to the market as it is in our DNA to make e-biking cool and fun," said company CEO, Thomas Vuillez. "The MATE SUV is something that was born out of our curiosity about how we move and to challenge the known ways of running errands and making short trips. The reliance on a car is considerable and reducing that is a growing need of the day."

The recent winner of a 2023 German Design Award, the Mate SUV is available for pre-order now – a reservation fee of €49 (US$52) will keep your spot in the line, with the expected price listed as €6,499 ($6,910) and shipping estimated to start from September 2023. The video below has more.
INTRODUCING THE MATE SUV

Product page: Mate SUV

View gallery - 6 images

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Urban Transportebikescargo bikeTrikeTricyclePedal-assisted
7 comments
Paul Ridden
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.

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7 comments
paul314
So the kids go in front, as a sort of collapsible collision protection for the driver? I can see this being really useful for moving stuff around and picking up groceries in urban areas, but at 250W the acceleration and hill climbing will be pretty doubtful. (I also wonder if it has the mass to stay upright in the wind once you put a top on it.) Maybe the next renders will handle some of these issues.
DaveWesely
This isn't really anything new. If it is mass produced to get the price down, that would be a change. @Paul314 How much collision protection do you need on a bike? Even an enclosing box is better than nothing. This is developed for European regulations, which stipulate a 250 Watt max assist. Most cyclists output about 100-150 Watts, so even a 250 Watt assist triples the pedaling power.
Wind is not going to be much of an issue with urban use in Europe.
Bob Flint
Bakfiets = cargo bike, been used world wide for over 140 years. Ignoring the human sitting on the seat, during six months winter climates? Also North America trips are typically much longer.
ljaques
Visually, the front wheels are so close to the cargo box that it appears the trike would have a very wide turning radius. Since the Mate SUV website isn't up, who knows? Almost seven grand for this is not feasible. Others provide stiff competition with Walmart offering a Dutch Classic Cargo Trike for $2,799, Azure $2,699, and Carla $2,599.
Erik
Seems pretty pointless to spend all that money when a bike pulling a little trailer can do the same for significantly cheaper.
MikeRyanc95317ae2315443b
Very nice. These would be perfect for outdoor venues (amusement parks, zoos, etc.). Seasonal employees could bike around and sell pop and ice cream to visitors.
pmshah
What is so great about this? We have had something similar for more than 60 years for delivering bottled LPG cylinders and non perishable groceries. Ok so this may be a bit more sophisticated with Ackermann geometry steering gear and electric motor assist. However for the price they want to charge, €6,499, I can get a regular 4 door 4 seater car with plenty of storage in the boot. Of course the passengers would be protected from the rain and shine and other dangers too. From what I have heard India is going to soon have a Tata Nano Electric costing under $ 3000/-