Can the Trek Fetch+ 2 actually replace a car?

This story is supported by Trek Bicycle.

My family started to feel a sense of panic. The Trek Fetch+ 2 we’d been testing for months would have to go back to the company. The feeling was odd because we—my wife, our nine-year-old kid and I—had been fine before the Fetch came along, getting around with our bikes, public transit and our car. But in eight months, the e-cargo bike changed how we got things done.

I didn’t see that change coming. Why not? Possibly there was a bit of arrogance at work. Cargo bikes like the Fetch+ 2 promise to be car replacements. My family had lived car-free until about two years ago. Even now, we seldom use our car in the city. I have to admit, though, that as the kid’s extra curricular activities have expanded and started taking us to various neighbourhoods beyond their cycling range, the four-wheeled vehicle has been getting pressed into service more and more because of its carrying capacity, and speed. Well, the jury is kind of out on the speed factor. Toronto traffic will make travelling even the shortest distance an excellent occasion for some deep podcast listening.

So let me tell you how the Trek Fetch+ 2 became an essential fixture in our family.

If you’ll excuse a bit of boasting: I’m pretty awesome at carrying crazy stuff on my commuter bike—an old cyclocross machine with rear rack and panniers. So much is possible with enough bungee cords. About 10 years ago, I remember a concerned shop owner hovering nearby as I strapped a new child’s car seat to the back of my bike. “Um, I don’t think you should do that,” he said. “It’s all good,” I replied. And it was.

So, it’s quite seldom that I am wanting for carry capacity. But with the Trek Fetch+ 2, there’s almost no planning required before I head out to get things, no double checking my stash of bungee cords, and no passing on an errand because I’d run out of space. My e-cargo bike came equipped with a rear pannier kit, and a front pannier and rack kit. At the back, each of the two containers holds 44 l. At the front, each pannier has a 11.2-l capacity. In all, I could load the Fetch up with a whopping 81 kg (178 lb.) of stuff. I feel all these add-ons are actually essential for getting the most out of the Fetch+ 2.

The bike also came with the family pack kit, which includes the pads that sit…