Chinese budget brand Engwe recently released a longtail e-cargo bike, the LE20, which is currently available at the rather eye-catching price of £1,449. Now clearly this is not a top-end e-bike, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still a handy vehicle that could perhaps replace a car for some people. Our man Dave’s had a go to give you a sense whether that might be the case.
The Engwe bikes we’ve previously had in for review have been a bit of a mixed bag, in all honesty. We really didn’t think much of the Engine X, for example, while others have exhibited some admirable qualities, such as the high torque Ananda mid-motor on the P275 ST.
An affordable e-cargo bike is always an intriguing prospect though.
The benchmark for longtail e-cargo bikes remains the Tern GSD, which we still have as our top recommendation in our guide to electric cargo bikes.
“I love it,” says Dave of that bike. “It is without doubt the most useful bike I’ve ever owned.”
It does however also cost £4,700 and while no-one would realistically expect a £1,500 bike to rival it, if the LE20 offers even a handful of the main benefits, that would make it a very appealing package for many people.
And there is actually one area where the LE20 scores over the Tern – and indeed over almost every other e-bike on the market. A single 920Wh battery would put it right at the upper end of what’s currently available – but the damn thing has two of them!
As Dave says, “That is crazy.”
Engwe’s claimed range of 350km might be a bit of a nonsense, but you’ll certainly be able to cover some serious ground between charges. Dave rode it for weeks without charging, although he also warns: “Block out a day when you need to plug it in though, because it isn’t quick.” (The optional fast charger is therefore probably worth investing in.)
The brand’s motor performance claims are similarly generous/detached from reality. Engwe says up to 110Nm, but in practice it performs more like the 50Nm Bosch Active Line Plus.
That's not bad though. There’s a bit of a lag when setting off, but it’s not too noisy and there’s a torque sensor which helps it run pretty smoothly the rest of the time.
The gears are okay and the range is well-chosen, while the hydraulic brakes do their job.
Accessories are where things might fall apart a bit, depending on what you want to do with the bike. There’s a passenger version with a handrail and footrests, but the two cargo build options involve carrying stuff quite high on the bike, which won’t do much for its handling.
You can get standard panniers from Engwe, but larger ones – or the ability to more easily mount some from another brand – would be helpful.
All in all, the Engwe LE20, "puts in a pretty solid performance,” according to Dave. “You’re getting a well-built bike – a mid-motor longtail with a huge battery capacity and a decent ride.
“Okay, the transmission’s a bit clunky and the range of accessories could do with padding out a bit, but overall you’re getting a lot of bike for the money and it’s hard to argue with the value.
“If you’re looking for a cargo bike for your daily duties and you’ve been put off by the cost, this is certainly one for the shortlist.”
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