"It's impressive what three bright minds from Vienna have achieved," says Davor Sertic, Chairman of the Transport and Traffic Division of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce (WKW), during a visit to Motic GmbH in Vienna-Mariahilf. The startup has developed the fully electric cargo bike "Cargobeast," which, with a loading volume of up to 3 m³ and a payload of 500 kilograms, far surpasses other cargo bikes and even has comparable specifications to a small delivery van.

"In logistics, the so-called last mile is the most complex part of the transport chain," explains Sertic. "Especially in urban areas, sustainable, space-saving, and cost-efficient solutions are needed. This is where the 'Cargobeast' stands out, as it offers a lot of space for cargo while still fitting on a bike path."

Company founders Clemens Hainberger, Semir Berger, and Fabio Wiesinger are graduates of Vienna's TGM (Technical University of Applied Sciences) and have further developed the idea from their diploma thesis, recently completing the prototype of their four-wheeled "Cargobeast." "We've put six years of development into our cargo bike," says Hainberger. "Because we've created a completely new vehicle concept that combines automotive and cargo bike components."

Space for a pallet

Das „Cargobeast“ verwendet für die Ladefläche erstmals Lkw-Aufbautechnologie, wodurch man es mit einem Kühlaufbau, als Pritschenwagen oder mit geschlossenem Kasten einsetzen kann. „Außerdem ist unser Lastenrad absenkbar und man kann so Rollcontainer oder eine ganze Europalette verladen“, erklärt Hainberger. „So kann man ohne Führerschein auch größere Lieferungen ohne Lärm und Emissionen im engen Stadtgebiet zustellen.“ Mit einer Akkukapazität von bis zu 5,76 kWh bietet das „Cargobeast“ vollbeladen eine Reichweite von maximal 100 Kilometern. Dank eines Tretgenerators sind weder Kette noch Riemen notwendig, was das Lastenrad nahezu wartungsfrei macht.

Motic GmbH plans to start series production soon and hopes that its “Cargobeasts” will soon become part of the cityscape: “It is a product from Vienna, developed in Vienna, and for Vienna,” says Hainberger.