Cargo bikes and car-free lifestyle: A critical review of the literature and a research agenda

Reducing car use is of importance for increasing the sustainability of the transportation system, reducing negative health outcomes of inactivity, and significant for land use planning. The cargo bike is receiving increasing attention for its potential to reduce the need for private cars. The cargo bike (particularly with electronic assistance) has demonstrated greater flexibility and utility over other active modes, including family and caregiver travel as well as applications in urban freight and logistics. The wide-ranging potential of cargo bikes, coupled with their health and sustainability benefits, suggests they could play a vital role in policy efforts at urban transformation (e.g., Car-free Cities and the 15-minute City movement). But the potential of the cargo bike as a tool for urban transformation depends on its uptake and continued use, which is affected by a large set of factors. This systematic literature review investigates the factors relevant to uptake and usage of cargo bikes with a focus on the car replacement potential of cargo bikes. This review uses the ecological model to understand the personal, sociocultural and environmental aspects of cargo bike use for private transport, for a more holistic and theoretical approach to cargo bike use. Cargo bikes have a large potential for reducing car usage, but there are significant gaps in the literature regarding how to realize this potential – particularly concerning social and cultural aspects of transport.