CI.N Podcast: We ask Jos Sluijsmans – where next for the cargo bike market?

This month on the CyclingIndustry.News Podcast we have had the privilege to speak with Jos Sluijsmans, a long-serving member of the cargo bike market and the Director of the long-running International Cargo Bike Festival.

Our host, Sean Lally, approaches the conversation with a view to understanding the personal and business community growth, each putting the utility bikes to use for a plethora of different reasons.

On the business front, London-based cargo logistics firm PedalMe, which is numerous rounds deep on investment efforts, is speaking of targeting a $200 billion global inner city logistics trade. Founder Ben Knowles told CI.N that the demand for its pedal powered services has prompted a hiring rate of seven people per week. Each investment round has been geared toward driving fast expansion of the fleet, staff training and improvement of the firm’s intelligence governing efficiency between deliveries. His sprint to corner the cargo bike market is not a one horse race and indeed many of the main logistics firms, including DHL and FedEx now have electric cargo bike fleets.

PedalMe aside, there now exists a British directory for businesses utilising cargo bikes. Here consumers can find those firms opting for emissions free delivery.

Consumer awareness is surging too. The Cycle Monitor Germany 2021 found that Awareness of cargo bikes rose from 38% to 63% between 2017 and 2021. When asked if they could imagine buying a cargo bike, 7% answered yes in 2017, but by 2021 12% were enthused by the idea.

The International Cargo Bike Festival this year partners with the World of Emobility in Amsterdam, creating a one-stop-shop for anyone in the business of moving people or things by bike. The larger format event will take place in the Greater Amsterdam area and run October 27th to 29th.

On the festival Sluijsmans says: “Our goal is to inspire the world to stop using cars and vans and instead start using cargo bikes. That’s why we’ve declared the 2020s the Decade of the Cargo Bike.

“Why? We believe this is the decade the cargo bike will hit the mainstream. The potential impact is enormous, so join us, and together let’s make it happen”

For more information on the cargo bike market’s growth and potential, see our back catalogue of information here.