Bicycles

Carla Cargo trailer gives your bike (or body) serious electric muscle

Carla Cargo trailer gives your bike (or body) serious electric muscle
The Carla Cargo trailer is designed to carry standard European crates
The Carla Cargo trailer is designed to carry standard European crates
View 23 Images
Demonstrating the overrun brake system
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Demonstrating the overrun brake system
Unhitch the Carla trailer and use it as a powered hand truck
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Unhitch the Carla trailer and use it as a powered hand truck
The Carla Cargo trailer was originally designed as a way for the local agricultural group to deliver vegetables around town
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The Carla Cargo trailer was originally designed as a way for the local agricultural group to deliver vegetables around town
The Carla Cargo trailer hauls loads of all kinds
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The Carla Cargo trailer hauls loads of all kinds
Carla recently experimented with its trailer behind a Musketier cargo trike, providing 882 lb of cargo capacity
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Carla recently experimented with its trailer behind a Musketier cargo trike, providing 882 lb of cargo capacity
The Carla Cargo trailer is designed to carry standard European crates
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The Carla Cargo trailer is designed to carry standard European crates
As a hand truck, the Carla trailer offers a thumb throttle
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As a hand truck, the Carla trailer offers a thumb throttle
The integrated handle turns bicycle trailer into hand cart
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The integrated handle turns bicycle trailer into hand cart
Loaded up and ready to ride
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Loaded up and ready to ride
Carla Cargo trailer
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Carla Cargo trailer
The Carla is designed to work with electric and standard bicycles
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The Carla is designed to work with electric and standard bicycles
The Carla Cargo trailer relies on an overrun braking system
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The Carla Cargo trailer relies on an overrun braking system
Up to 330 lb of cargo hauling
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Up to 330 lb of cargo hauling
The trailer is driven by a front hub motor
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The trailer is driven by a front hub motor
The Carla Cargo trailer weighs a listed 88 lb
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The Carla Cargo trailer weighs a listed 88 lb
The Carla is powered by an 11 Ah or 15 Ah lithium battery
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The Carla is powered by an 11 Ah or 15 Ah lithium battery
The front hub motor provides drive power while dual discs deliver stopping power
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The front hub motor provides drive power while dual discs deliver stopping power
Three 20-in wheels roll the trailer forward
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Three 20-in wheels roll the trailer forward
Carla Cargo trailer
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Carla Cargo trailer
Rolling a double cargo setup
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Rolling a double cargo setup
Carla Cargo trailer
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Carla Cargo trailer
Carla Cargo trailer
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Carla Cargo trailer
Carla Cargo's first prototype with its latest work
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Carla Cargo's first prototype with its latest work
View gallery - 23 images

More than just cutesy front baskets and simple rear racks, bicycle cargo hauling has become serious business. Joining big-load tools like the Velove Armadillo, the German-designed Carla Cargo electric bicycle trailer upgrades your bike for loads up to 330 lb (150 kg) and 53 cu ft (1.5 cu m). Not only can it power those loads behind your bike, but it also unhitches and rolls as a powered hand truck.

We've seen electric bike trailers before, including the Rollout Brouhaha and Ridekick, but the Carla trailer presents big, next-level cargo-hauling muscle. Even when it's not strapped down with a big, ol' 53-cu ft load of boxes, its sheer size is immediately apparent from the three-wheeled configuration and 63 x 23.6-in (160 x 60-cm) bed.

Carla Cargo trailer
Carla Cargo trailer

We don't even want to think about the calf pains that would be involved with towing a Carla trailer via pedaling alone, and that's okay because we don't have to. Designed to work with both regular bicycles and electric bikes, the trailer pulls its own weight.

The e-drive system offers a power-start function (up to 1 mph/6 km/h) to get the heavy load rolling from stop. A crank sensor on the cyclist's bike tracks pedaling, adjusting motor output accordingly, just like a pedelec bike. The front wheel-mounted motor provides 250 watts of continuous power, supporting speeds up to 14 mph (23 km/h). So all that cargo rolls along smoothly without weighing the cyclist down like a school bus strapped to a strongman.

The swappable 11 Ah lithium battery offers up to 25 miles (40 km) of range. There's also a 15 Ah (37 mi/60 km) battery upgrade available.

The Carla Cargo trailer rides on 20-in wheels with Schwalbe Big Apple Plus tires. Stopping power is provided by an overrun brake system with dual discs, and there's also a manual parking brake. Unlike other bike trailers that secure to the bike's rear hub, this 88-lb (40-kg) trailer clamps to the seat post via a tow bar.

Unhitch the Carla trailer and use it as a powered hand truck
Unhitch the Carla trailer and use it as a powered hand truck

A bicycle trailer may be smaller and more versatile than a motor vehicle trailer, but there are still plenty of places where you can't tow a trailer or even ride a bike. When you arrive at such a place, say a shopping mall, you don't necessarily have to pull over and start unloading. The Carla trailer detaches from the bicycle and works as a powered hand truck so you can keep right on rolling to and through the front door. It includes a handle, thumb throttle and brake and rolls at speeds up to 1 mph.

The fully loaded Carla Cargo electric trailer starts at around €4,000 (approx. US$4,550), before taxes and shipping. Weekend gear-hauling warriors might balk at that price, but the trailer is designed more for business use. Carla sees it as a solution for organizations like parcel services, community agricultural groups, and food and beverage vendors. Plus, Carla offers DIY plans (German) for those that want to save some money. Accessories like an aluminum cargo box and protective tarp are also available.

Carla recently experimented with its trailer behind a Musketier cargo trike, providing 882 lb of cargo capacity
Carla recently experimented with its trailer behind a Musketier cargo trike, providing 882 lb of cargo capacity

And if 330 lb and 53 cu ft sound too limited, Carla Cargo has also recently played around with a setup of its trailer hitched to a Radkutsche Musketier cargo e-trike, a combination that offers 882 lb (400 kg) and 141 cu ft (4 cu m) of pedal-assisted hauling potential.

Watch the Carla Cargo trailer do its thing in the video below.

Source: Carla Cargo

Lastenanhänger für den Transport von 150 Kilogramm Gemüse der solidarischen Landwirtschaft

View gallery - 23 images
7 comments
7 comments
telocity
Very cool! A smaller one wheel version would be nice for most people who just need it for regular shopping. I am surprised at the 330 lb weight limit, I would think a trailer with 3 wheels could handle more. It seems to use a standard 250w motor with a 11 Ah lithium battery, so the price tag of US$4,550 seems a bit much. A Evelo Aries bike with 14 Ah battery, 500 watt mid-drive with a NuVinci N360 drive train is $2500. So you think a trailer would be a bit less, but it is probably hand made. I still think electric trailers able to easily switch between bikes is one of the smarter ways of going electric. Especially if you add a solar cover. :)
Bob Flint
May work in Europe for local goods, but in North America the distances are further than most would want or are able to travel. Especially considering they must share the roadway with cars, trucks, all traveling at much faster speed... Unless you live near a big box store, pick-ups & vans will rule.
Paul Anthony
I did not read anything about a parking break, nor did I read about a reverse gear. Did I miss them? I would think that these features would be essential.
LivadaBeach
great article. the newest video you can see here in german with alot of cool impressions:
http://www.swr.de/landesschau-aktuell/bw/suedbaden/gruenderboom-und-raumnot-die-ideenschmiede-in-freiburg/-/id=1552/did=17262182/nid=1552/1jkz717/index.html#utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=SWR%2Ede%20like
unklmurray
Not bad ....as usual the price is too much....I'd put a "ProGo ''propane powered motor just above the electric front wheel, and use the electric motor in / around stores......then on the road use the 25cc propane motor on the road ,1-16.4lb cylinder of propane = up to 20mph /for 2 hours or about 40miles, with the right gearing and being propane it is just as ''Green'' as the electric motor would be,since its on a trailer you could get a refillable 1 gal.propane tank and ride for 10 hours for $1.90,you would have to charge a battery 10-15 times to get the same mileage,and wait 4-8 hours per charge!! If you know what you are doing the propane motor would power up the battery,whenever it got low so you have a ''Hybrid bike!!''......LOL :-)
unklmurray
Who ever that "Unklmurray''guy is,must be really out there........His comment doesn't make much since........some rambling about using a propane powered scooter motor?????.......I like the cargo trailer idea,The walking speed of 1 mph though is kinda slow [ the average 5.5ft human walks at a speed of 3.5-4miles per hour,at a normal speed ] so the speed of 1mph, may be fast by European standards,butt to me is only about %25, of normal-Slow--.......... I ride a Trike to begin with so I don't need a trailer that is also a trike......butt I do like this cargo trailer.............LOL :-)
Kim
Take a look at how Pedal Me in London are using these trailers with e-cargo bikes to shift up to 300Kg loads https://twitter.com/pedalmeapp/status/1143033493678678017 about the city.