Cargo extensions - more load on short hauls and in intralogistics with AL-KO CarryNex
Trailers can significantly increase the capacity of cargo e-bikes and other towing vehicle concepts – from city centers to factory premises. To this end, AL-KO Vehicle Technology took tried-and-tested chassis technology and made it more compact. The AL-KO CarryNex family presents a modular chassis system for cargo-bike trailers that enables payloads of up to 230 kilograms with a gross vehicle weight of up to 300 kg.
Cargo e-bikes and e-mopeds are gaining ground
Their electric motors offer tremendous dynamism for short distances. Cargo e-bikes and e-mopeds are conquering distribution transport as well as logistics on factory premises. With a driver’s cab and a load-bearing body, they are shaping completely new vehicle forms – hybrid vehicles that look like small vans but are much more maneuverable and environmentally friendly. “Perfect for our chronically congested city centers,” says Mircan Ünsal, Product Manager at AL-KO. “And how much internal factory traffic suffers from a lack of turning space? The new vehicle concepts fill a real gap here.”
The most important points in brief
- As a leading brand manufacturer of trailer components, AL-KO is now bringing its tried-and-tested expertise to the world of sustainable mobility.
- Our latest cargo chassis AL-KO CarryNex sets new standards in the transport and logistics industry – lighter, safer, and more customized
- For intralogistics and last mile logistics, for bicycle rickshaws and box bodies
Cargo extensions
Compensating for payload trade-offs
As much as the new vehicle types prove themselves in everyday logistics, their own payload has narrow limits. A cargo e-bike can typically carry a payload of between 150 to max. 300 kg. Annoying, really, when motorization is usually capable of much more. “That was why we decided to rethink the last mile.” The result is three versions of a modular chassis system for trailers that can carry up to 230 kg with a gross vehicle weight of up to 300 kg. “Our aim was to be able to double the payload in a single hand movement when needed. This way, we are taking the efficiency of alternative cargo transport solutions to the extreme,” says Ünsal.
Cargo bike trailers are also attractive to the leisure and tourism industry: for transporting luggage, equipment and provisions, for example, for customers such as bike rental companies, campsite operators and tour providers – but also for ambitious recreational athletes with lots of equipment for a variety of outdoor activities.
Chassis miniaturization
Technology proven millions of times over for smaller loads
The new developments are based on AL-KO’s many decades of experience in chassis construction for commercial trailers, vehicles and caravans. The key difference to the previous trailer range: The construction and components, which are otherwise designed for gross weights of up to 3,500 kg and for speeds of up to 100 km/h, have to work significantly less hard over the last mile.
Ünsal says: “Accordingly, our engineers had fun slimming down existing components in order to achieve an optimum ratio of weight to payload even in the segment for smaller loads and speeds.”
At their core, the three new trailers are identical to the larger AL-KO models in terms of material - from the frame construction made of high-strength steel, rubber suspension and independent wheel suspension to the riveting and welding processes used - and are comparable in terms of smooth running and durability.
A trailer for the urban jungle
Smooth running on challenging routes
Professional distribution service or intralogistics applications have nothing in common with a leisurely ride on freshly asphalted cycle paths. With stoic lane handling and unshakeable resilience, AL-KO’s towed units prove their worth on inner-city pothole-riddled parkour rides or as municipal vehicles for park maintenance. There’s never a problem, even if tradesmen have to ride through the garden area to the cellar stairs.
Ünsal says: “Of course, the last mile generally involves lower speeds. Nevertheless, the loads acting on the frame and axles can be extreme.” The bodies often tower over the frame and the load is rarely evenly distributed. “That’s why it needs a rock-solid chassis solution. Our trailer’s components – from the coupling head to the overrun brake – ensure that they follow the towing vehicle safely and securely, even up and down curbs.”
Body variations just like the big ones
Four or two wheels
The new trailers’ basic sizes are designed to transport Euro pallets as well. “But the real advantage comes from the chassis’ variability,” explains Ünsal. “The modular chassis concept and flexible production process in Germany mean that a trailer can be adapted based on the individual customer’s needs and how they plan to use it.”
The two-wheel design features a support so it can be safely parked and comes in two versions: one for speeds of up to 25 km/h and another for speeds of up to 60 km/h. In addition to the higher payload, the four-wheel version also comes with a steering axle to assure towing agility. For safety, all three models are equipped with a parking brake and an overrun brake.
Wide range of application scenarios
Sophisticated logistics or simply more luggage
BAYK’s customers, for example, use VeloBRING for inner-city parcel distribution services and VeloTAXI for passenger transport. Stefan Kruschel, Chief Business Development Officer at BAYK, says: “Picture a driver picking up a couple at the station. Our VeloTAXIs can transport people comfortably. Bulky luggage fits easily into the AL-KO trailer, securely and without wasting time stacking it all up. It’s the perfect towing combination for urban centers.”
Parking spaces are increasingly giving way to generously designed shared paths for walking and cycling. Bicycle lanes are improving the flow of bicycle traffic. “Our VeloBRING, the agile cargo bikes with VeloTRAILER, offer weighty advantages in the truest sense of the word, especially for tradespeople who want to work flexibly in inner-city areas and don’t want to drag their equipment around the streets.”
This is also true for the parcel delivery service: Drive to the area with the trailer, uncouple and park the trailer there, start the first round and unload the packages in the trailer on the second round. Kruschel says: “As a micro-depot, the AL-KO trailers can easily find a space in every city center. In addition, delivery rounds can be planned much more efficiently.”
Professional equipment for when tough journeys are standard
Solid from the start
For Benjamin Karting, Head of Product Management at body manufacturer Junge, in addition to the new logistics options for his customers, the trailer solution’s robustness is particularly important: “We were looking for a partner that wasn’t going to upgrade its trailer solution for private users, but would focus on the professional user from the outset. AL-KO is clearly the right choice, including in terms of the accompanying network of service and delivery options.”
For bakeries or laundries, tradesmen or sanitation wholesalers: Body manufacturer Junge provides standardized box bodies as well as industry solutions that specifically support individual logistics requirements.
“It was important to us that our vehicle routes didn’t just end at the district’s micro-hub. We want our solutions to reach the customer’s front door, and we can achieve this very efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way with cargo bikes or bike-trailer combinations.” Particularly when it comes to the environment, he sees great opportunities for the last mile by pedal and trailer. “Despite the hype surrounding private cargo bikes in recent years,” says Karting, “we are still at the beginning of developments in the professional sector.”
