New York-based micromobility subscription service Beyond is launching an e-scooter specifically designed for delivery workers.
The ‘Cargo One’, which is being unveiled today at the Micromobility America conference in San Francisco, features a dedicated platform that can carry up to 50 lbs of cargo, with a total payload capacity of 300 lbs.
It has a long wheelbase, steering stabiliser, swappable battery, phone charger, integrated GPS smart lock, and folds so that users can carry it on a train and store it in an apartment.
Couriers can purchase the Cargo One for $39 a week and enjoy free maintenance and support.
Beyond spent time with delivery workers to understand their needs and gain an insight into the challenges they face while doing their job.
“We are finding that people do not want to invest in their own delivery business,” Beyond’s CEO and Co-Founder Manuel Saez told Zag Daily. “Rather this is a transitional job. It therefore makes much more sense to get a delivery e-scooter on subscription for $39 a week than it does to buy an e-bike outright for $3,000.”
The average delivery distance in New York is 0.8 miles and even with multiple deliveries, the package load rarely exceeds 30lbs, according to Beyond. The company therefore argues that in dense urban areas, a small form factor vehicle which can be carried on the subway, makes the most sense.
“One of the biggest pain points for delivery workers is knowing what to do with your vehicle after a shift,” said Saez. “Some buy an extra battery just to commute back home, and others pay $150 a month to store their bikes overnight. We made the Cargo One easy to fold so you can take it on the train and store it inside small apartments.”
The global last mile delivery market size is projected to reach $123 billion by 2030.
Beyond has identified that there are more than 100,000 delivery workers in New York, and every week in the city, there are around 5,000 delivery app downloads with the intention of doing deliveries.
Having built a prototype model, the next step is to raise between $5-10 million to manufacture at scale and expand into new cities.
Available for pre-order now, the first shipment of scooters is expected in March 2023.
