Amazon is officially rolling out e-cargo bike deliveries in Washington, DC, as part of a new pilot program launched in partnership with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). The ten-month initiative, called “MicroFreight DC,” will see Amazon Delivery Service Partners making neighborhood deliveries using a fleet of battery-powered cargo bikes instead of traditional delivery vans.
The pilot will deploy up to 15 four-wheeled e-cargo bikes operating out of a dedicated microhub in Southwest DC. The vehicles feature enclosed seating areas for riders along with windshields and wipers to help delivery associates operate comfortably in poor weather. According to DDOT, the bikes will be limited to 15 mph (25 km/h) and prohibited from riding on sidewalks.
The goal is to study whether shifting “last-mile” deliveries from larger vans to smaller electric cargo vehicles can reduce congestion, noise, and emissions while improving delivery efficiency in dense urban neighborhoods.
“By using e-cargo bikes to deliver packages, the District demonstrates a commitment to reducing traffic and piloting innovative delivery solutions,” said DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum.
The cargo ‘e-bikes’ use electric bicycle drivetrains and include pedals with a pedal-by-wire system common in three- and four-wheeled cargo e-bikes that translates the user’s pedal power into forward motion via an electric motor.
