Cube Trike Family Hybrid in Blick test: This electric tricycle wants to stir the market

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The trend towards electric bikes continues unabated. Around 50 percent of all bikes in Switzerland are now E. But not just ordinary trekking, but electric-assisted city or mountain bikes are growing faster than ever before. Electric cargo bikes, called e-cargo bikes, are also becoming more and more popular with private and commercial customers.

Sales of M-Way, Switzerland’s largest seller of e-bikes, increased by 50 percent between 2021 and 2022. Twice as many e-cargo bikes were sold this year as last year altogether.

Almost like a regular e-bike

Reason enough for us to put one of the newest models on the market to the test for a few days. Developed by the Bavarian industrial giant Cube in collaboration with BMW, the tricycle hybrid is based on a specially developed tilt technology: Thanks to the special structure with constant velocity and differential joint, the front of the e-cargo bike leans in corners, while the rear part tilts during bends, the part stays in a horizontal position. .

This should ensure particularly easy and dynamic handling – and our first impression confirms this: the riding experience is quite safe and stable, even for inexperienced e-cargo bike riders; almost like on a regular e-bike. We can estimate the width of the Trike Hybrid well even on narrow bike paths in Zurich; at the same time, wide tires eliminate the fear of tram tracks.

more power would be nice

On the flat road, the Bosch propulsion system with its relatively high mid-motor with 250 watts and 85 Nm of torque makes no effort to quickly accelerate the e-cargo bike, which already weighs 75 kilograms in idle. We just want a little more power on the slopes.

Well solved: in “Auto” driving mode (with Eco, Sport and Turbo), the system itself adjusts the appropriate boost depending on how hard you pedal. The infinitely variable hub gears, in which the gear ratio is adjusted using the rotary clutch on the handlebars, were also convincing in the test with their pleasant handling.

Carrying capacity up to 70 kg

Load-carrying capacity is as important as good handling in an e-cargo bike: In the tested “Family” model, equipped with a bench and a five-point belt system, two children reach their destination safely in the lockable carrying box at the rear and are dry thanks to the raincoat. The lightweight seat can be removed in just a few simple steps if the pup stays at home.

The maximum load capacity on flat ground is 50 kilograms. An additional 20 kilos can be carried in the optional front luggage rack. A lockable “glove box” is integrated into the frame for small items such as keys or sunglasses. The seat and handlebar are height adjustable, making the e-cargo bike suitable for people between 1.60 and 1.90 meters tall.

50 km electrically in the test

However, if the maximum allowable total weight of 220 kilograms, including rider and bike, is exhausted, it’s nearly impossible to cover more than 50 kilometers of electric-assisted mileage, even with the large, removable 750-watt-hour battery. If you regularly travel very long distances with children or belongings, you can optionally add a second battery to the tricycle hybrid. Only then will the basic price of around 7400 francs, which is not so cheap anyway, increase by another 1000 francs.

Our results

Compared to popular front loaders with a large loading space between the handlebar and the front wheel, the three-wheeled Cube Trike Hybrid is also suitable for people who do not ride their e-cargo bike often. Its intuitive tilting mechanism makes it almost as safe and stable to ride as an ordinary e-bike. However, if maximum payload is used, Bosch’s mid-engine reaches its limits, especially on slopes; range also drops to a maximum of 30 to 50 kilometers with high boost. And of course quality comes at a price: the Cube Trike Family Hybrid starts at CHF 7,400.

Source: Blick