Solar panels and Regenerative braking.

[ericmark]

It seems the new Royal Mail electric trike has solar panels and regenerative braking, I remember the first e-bike I looked at had regenerative braking, however I am sure my wife's e-bike does not, I see no number plate however not required at front, so not sure if a motor bike or e-bike, but this may mean we get some more thought into the new e-bike.

Question I have is what if the bike has a trailer and the trailer is powered? With the drive to have more environmental friendly transport and parking problems, why not a powered trailer?

 

[Tenkaykev]

I'm really very pro electric but that is total bollocks. Solar panel efficiency against cost, regenerative braking efficiency etc etc
A typical PR " Concept " photo with glorious sunshine and no other traffic on the road.

 

[rualexander]

These are already in use on a trial basis at some Royal Mail depots.
Agree the regenerative braking is a gimmick, the solar panels also, for most of the year anyway.
They would be a nightmare on a windy day, not exactly aerodynamic.

 

[Globalti]

For reasons I don't understand we get a diesel-powered red van and two posties who park in the street and deliver to every house. They must have worked out that that's the most cost-effective way to do it.

 

[Tenkaykev]

For reasons I don't understand we get a diesel-powered red van and two posties who park in the street and deliver to every house. They must have worked out that that's the most cost-effective way to do it.

The same happens here, the posties Park outside our house and head off in different directions.
As I understand it they bring a lot of post in the van then set off in an optimised "clover leaf " pattern returning to the van to pick up more post and heading off again.

 

[ericmark]

I see both the van and hand cart used local, the hand cart allows the postman to move it house to house without having to open doors and fit seat belts, the best I suppose was the horse, the typical electric milk cart was designed to be easy to get in and out of, the trade bike had a really good bike stand so would not fall over. The trike has a problem which bikes don't have, they need a hand brake.

However some times when used commercial we get a development which otherwise would not happen, can an electric bike or trike get a parking ticket?

 

[Tenkaykev]

I got to know our work Postie, we'd make him a cuppa if he had time. He'd previously been the bloke who looked after all the posties bikes before they did away with them and they redeployed him to a delivery round.

If they reintroduced bikes and used electric ones then it would be quite an investment. They would need a bank of charging points plus space, spares and people to repair and maintain the bikes.

I noticed a few electric post bikes when I visited Berlin a couple of years ago, Including a version that looked a bit like an elongated ice cream cart which carried small parcels.