A New Company Just Launched Electric Bikes for Delivery Workers—Here's What You Need to Know

A new company called Also, created by the electric vehicle company Rivian, has announced a line of electric bikes designed for delivery workers and urban transportation. These aren't your typical e-bikes—they're built to carry heavy loads while staying small enough to use bike lanes.

What Is Also and Why Does It Matter?

Also split off from Rivian (a company known for making electric trucks and vans) to focus on a different market: the space between regular bikes and delivery trucks. The company unveiled its first vehicles with a goal to help cities move packages and goods without using polluting diesel vans.

The idea is simple: instead of sending a big truck through crowded streets, use smaller electric bikes that take up less space and create less pollution.

What Makes These Bikes Different?

The main bike is called the TM-B, and it has some clever features built in. It has a low step-through frame (think of stepping through instead of over the seat), making it easy for different riders to get on and off quickly.

Here are the key features:

Belt Drive Instead of a Chain: Imagine a rubber belt instead of a bicycle chain. It doesn't need as much cleaning and repair, and it works better in rain and snow—important when you're delivering packages every day.

Removable Battery: The battery comes out and swaps out like changing a battery in a TV remote. A delivery driver can swap a dead battery for a fresh one in seconds, rather than waiting hours to charge. This is huge for someone making deliveries all day.

Full Suspension: The bike has springs that absorb bumps from rough roads and potholes. This matters in cities where streets aren't always smooth.

How Do These Bikes Stay Legal?

These bikes are pedal-assisted, which means the electric motor only helps when you're pedaling—you can't just sit and twist a throttle. This matters because it keeps them legally classified as "bicycles" in most places, not "motorcycles." That means they can use bike lanes, and riders don't need a license or registration.

Because they fit the bike lane rules, delivery companies can take routes that regular trucks can't use, which could save time in busy cities.

Who Else Makes Bikes Like This?

Also isn't the first company in this space. Companies like Rad Power Bikes, Urban Arrow, and Tern already make cargo e-bikes. Startups like Joco and Packster focus specifically on deliveries.

But Also is the first company spun out from a major car manufacturer to try this. That gives them advantages: they can use Rivian's battery technology, electric motors, and manufacturing know-how that smaller bike companies don't have.

Why Are Companies Investing in Delivery Bikes?

E-commerce has exploded. Amazon, UPS, and DHL all need to get packages to your door faster than ever. Delivery vans create traffic and pollution in cities. New rules in cities like New York, London, and Paris are starting to ban dirty diesel vehicles from downtown areas.

Delivery bikes solve both problems: they're eco-friendly and they can navigate crowded streets better than trucks.

How Would Delivery Companies Actually Use These?

Picture a delivery company with 50 of these bikes at a central charging hub. Drivers come in, swap their empty battery for a charged one, and ride out again—kind of like how scooter companies work today, but for bikes.

The belt drive and sturdy build mean less maintenance than regular bikes, which saves money when you're running a fleet.

The step-through frame also matters: delivery gig workers come from all backgrounds and different heights. This design works for anyone.

What Still Needs to Happen?

Also hasn't announced pricing, which factories will make the bikes, or when they'll be available. Their connection to Rivian probably helps, but they haven't been clear about it.

Delivery bikes are tricky to sell profitably because they need to be really well-built, and that costs money. Also will need to price them affordably while keeping them durable enough for tough daily use.

The Big Question: Will This Actually Work?

Here's the catch: these bikes only work well if cities have good bike lanes. If a delivery driver has to mix with car traffic, it gets scary and slow. As cities keep building better bike infrastructure, these bikes become more useful.

Rules about e-bikes are still changing in many places. If cities decide that cargo bikes are "too heavy" or "too big," it could force Also to redesign.

Also is launching at a good time—more people live in dense cities, and more people order packages online. But they'll need to prove these bikes actually work better and cheaper than what's already out there.