South Africa’s first ever Electronic Cargo Bike, known as E-Cargo Bike, has been launched to help reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
The Bikes were launched by the Transport Department and the Innovation hub in partnership with various stakeholders.
Another green revolution innovation, the E-Cargo bike can travel at 50 kilometres an hour and transport up to 150 kilograms. It can also run on solar power.
The bikes are cost-effective, safer and a cheaper, greener solution.
Developer Oliver Higson says:”It’s an electric bike, it has a battery. It uses a solar panel to charge, it can go across broken glass and can carry 150 kilos.”
Sharpeville, outside Johannesburg, will be the first to test the machines, with business people from the area trying out their effectiveness.
Businesswoman Neo Rabotapi says:”We are going to use it as transportation to recycle whatever that we will be recycling to places where we take them for recycling.”
The pilot project will test their practicality.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismael Vadi says:”We don’t have the regulatory framework but I think we are here to pilot it in the community of Sharpeville to test it out.”
The Bikes can for now set you back about R15 000.
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