How to choose an electric cargo trike
To pick the electric cargo trike for adults that fits your errands, compare four things: layout, load ratings, handling and weight.
Layout
A delta trike has one wheel in front and two behind; the Velotric Triker carries its cargo on a rear rack behind you. A semi-recumbent such as the Meet One Tour 2.0 seats you lower, pedalling forward against a large backrest. A reverse trike, or tadpole, puts two wheels at the front, as on the Addmotor SpytanX. The Addmotor Greattan L adds a rear passenger seat.
Max load vs basket or rack rating
Max load is the total rating: rider, passenger and cargo all count against it, and some brands include the trike's own weight. Where a brand rates the basket or rack, that figure is lower: Velotric lists the Triker at approx. 227 kg in total but approx. 54 kg on its rear rack. Meet One rates the Tour 2.0 at 249 kg (550 lb) and its rear basket at 90.7 kg (200 lb). Our guide to cargo e-bikes in Canada covers load ratings.
Handling with a load
A non-tilting trike stays level through a turn instead of leaning like a bicycle. Wikipedia's tricycle article notes that non-tilting upright trikes tip more easily in corners and on uneven or sloping ground, so ease off there when loaded. Cycling Electric advises keeping heavy loads low, central and strapped down, and building up to them gradually.
Weight and storage
The Triker weighs 39.0 kg and the Tour 2.0 87.2 kg, a gap you feel when you roll one up a ramp without motor help. A folding frame, like the Triker's or the SpytanX's, shrinks the trike for storage without cutting its weight. Meet One adds a reverse mode to the Tour 2.0 for backing out of narrow spots.
| Trike | Layout | Max load | Rack, basket or passenger rating | Weight | Brakes |
|---|
| Meet One Tour 2.0 | Semi-recumbent, dual hub motors | 249 kg | Rear basket, 90.7 kg | 87.2 kg | Hydraulic disc, all three wheels; parking brake |
| Addmotor Greattan L | Two-seat, rear passenger seat | 227 kg | Passenger, approx. 68 kg | 69.9 kg | Mechanical disc, all three wheels; parking brake |
| Addmotor SpytanX | Folding reverse, two front wheels | 127 kg | None listed | 47.6 kg | Hydraulic disc, all three wheels; parking brake |
| Velotric Triker | Folding, 370 mm step-through, rear differential | 227 kg | Rear rack, approx. 54 kg | 39.0 kg | Hydraulic disc, front and rear; parking brake |
| PUCKIPUPPY Alaskan | Delta, rear differential | 227 kg | None listed | 46.6 kg | Hydraulic disc, all three wheels |
Prefer two wheels? Our cargo e-bikes include two-wheel models, or browse all our e-bikes.
Questions
What is an electric cargo trike?
It is a three-wheel e-bike built to carry more than its rider, on a rear basket, a rack or, on a two-seat frame, a passenger seat. Some have one wheel at the front and two at the back, like the Velotric Triker; reverse models such as the Addmotor SpytanX put two wheels at the front.
How much can an electric cargo trike carry?
Start with the total max load; some brands also rate the basket or rack, a lower figure. The Addmotor SpytanX lists 127 kg and the Meet One Tour 2.0 249 kg in total, while Velotric rates the Triker's rear rack at approx. 54 kg. Total up the rider, any passenger and the cargo, and ask whether the brand's figure includes the trike itself.
How much does an electric cargo trike weigh?
Weights differ a lot between models. The Velotric Triker and the EUNORAU ONE-TRIKE 2.0 come in at 39.0 kg, the Addmotor Greattan L at 69.9 kg and the dual-motor Meet One Tour 2.0 at 87.2 kg. Check the figure first if the trike has to climb a ramp, be pushed into a shed or be moved with a flat battery.
Are electric cargo trikes stable with a heavy load?
Standing still, yes: unlike a bicycle, it needs no balancing while you load it. Moving, a non-tilting trike can tip in corners or on slopes and rough ground, and a load piled high makes that more likely. Pack heavy items low and central, strap them down, and ease off before turns.
How do you store or transport an electric cargo trike?
Measure every door and gate on its route first. A folding frame, as on the Velotric Triker, Addmotor SpytanX, EUNORAU ONE-TRIKE 2.0 and Meet One Breeze 2.0, makes the trike more compact but no lighter. The Triker is listed at 39.0 kg, though its battery is removable for the lift. If it has a parking brake, set it once parked.
Can an electric cargo trike carry a passenger?
Yes, if the brand builds it for one. The Addmotor Greattan L has a rear passenger seat, and Addmotor lists its payload as 159+68 kg: up to 159 kg for the rider and about 68 kg for the passenger, 227 kg in all. Check your passenger against that second figure, not only the total, and count any bags too.
