The assembly area in the Electric Assisted Vehicles factory, in the English town of Banbury, resembles a small-scale car plant. There are four-wheel chassis and orange bins for components. But each vehicle has a set of bicycle pedals, linked by a chain to the rear axle. The Banbury site is one of a growing number across Europe manufacturing quadracycles — zero-emission, four-wheel cargo bikes used on the streets of big cities. Thanks to electric assistance and the latest powerful motors and batteries, the vehicles can typically handle loads of more than 150kg at up to 25km/h (15.5mph). They are still subject, however, to only the relatively light regulation surrounding bicycles.
Read the full article: ft.com