E-Bike for package delivery service

[Sami Joseph]

Hello,

I am very interested in starting a small package delivery business and personal concierge service. I was initially going to go with a vespa, however, given te dangers of driving here in Palestine and the intensity of people in traffic, I am lean on choosing an electric bike. That as well as, several people tried starting a delivery business using a vespa and I thought an e-bike would help differentiate me from the start.

I am clueless when it comes to e-bikes but I have a budget of up to $2000. Take in mind that I will probably need to buy and carry a spare battery with me at all times.

Palestine, including the areas run by Israeli authorities, have good roads but there's a lot of ups and downs, there are also some dirt roads that I might have to travel between neighborhoods, but not many.

I might have short distance deliveries for the most part, but I also would like to offer the option of long distance delivery, is that even possible on an ebike.

Can you wonderful people advise and help me choose a good model?

 

[Ann M.]

@Sami Joseph, you might benefit from a heavier duty cargo bike like the RadWagon. Court has a comprehensive review of the RadWagon. It's been around for several years now and is sold primarily online. Just be sure to purchase some spare spokes and check the spoke tension in the rear wheel where the hub motor is. The motor is stout and you can carry a bunch o' stuff on the longer back end. Price is around $1600, so with shipping you should be within budget.

Another option would be the Juiced Bikes ODK U500; this ebike has several options for battery size and offers one of the largest batteries available. It's a little more compact cargo bike but has lots of capacity to haul stuff. Price starts at $1995; maybe a bit more with a larger battery but worth it for the extra range. Check out Court's review of the ODK U500 for a bit more perspective. Juiced sells both online and through dealers.

Both of these bikes come with pretty beefy, wider tires; however, you will probably want to add some extra protection like a Tire Liner to prevent flats on those unpaved roads. Good luck on your enterprise!

 

[rich c]

A spare battery will cost you in the range of $400-$700. I hope that is not figured into your budget. With two batteries, you could get up to 150 miles. That's full run in economy mode and pedaling the entire distance.

 

[J.R.]

If my memory serves me correctly, Israel has different laws governing ebikes, than North America. I believe they're akin to E.U. laws. I assume that would include Israeli controlled territories of Palestine. I don't remember reading anything on Palestinian laws for ebikes. In Israel ebikes are limited to 250 watts of power, and 25 kph speed and I don't think throttles are allowed. You may not be able to import either bike Ann noted above, to be used in the region. Licensing, insurance and protective gear vary wildly from country to country. Check your local regulations before going too far researching bikes.

Good luck.

Edit: I just did a quick search and found this.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

http://m.jpost.com/Enviro-Tech/Regulations-for-electric-bicycles-to-take-effect-September-1-368537

 

[emco5]

If my memory serves me correctly, Israel has different laws than North America, governing ebikes. I believe they're akin to E.U. laws. ...

With that 250 watt limit, the strongest and most practical system would be an eBike with PAS mid-drive. A package delivery business might allow the OP to get a fleet rate and meet his price point.

Vespas are utilitarian enough, but the CVT transmission needs frequent maintenance. And if you lay one down the cost of parts and repairs to the body's sheet metal are on par with a car.

 

[Sami Joseph]

Thanks everyone, your advice is really helpful

 

[Ann M.]

Don't get too hung up on the speed limit, @Sami Joseph. You aren't in European territory

 

[Ann M.]

Actually, I would check on that data; not sure you're limited to 250 watts; you are not in Europe. Some of the fastest escooters and some pretty nice and very Fast ebikes come from your part of the world; One manufacturer that you might want to explore is Magnum; an ebike company located in your part of the world. These are also reasonably priced with a number of bike choices. Court has reviewed several of the Magnum ebikes which may help you get a little perspective on ebikes in general.