A cargo vehicle three metres long and one metre wide is now working London’s streets for Royal Mail and Evri. It is the Pedal 4, an electric cargo bike from British start-up Minimal, and it carries roughly the load of a small van.
Dezeen shortlisted the Pedal 4 in the consumer product design category of the 2026 Dezeen Awards. Minimal built it to take up less road space and to slip through the crowded, tangled streets of central London.
The four-wheeled electric cargo bike uses pedal assist. Its footprint is barely larger than a bicycle’s, so it can use pedestrianised streets and cycle infrastructure, according to Minimal.
The vehicle still offers 2.5 cubic metres of cargo space. In London trials, it completed 36 per cent more deliveries per hour than vans.
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Minimal CEO and co-founder Patrick Bion argues that electric vans fix only part of the problem. “Electric vans solve the emissions problem, but not the access problem,” Bion said. “They still sit in the same traffic, fight for the same kerb space and need a driver with a licence.”
Bion says vans were never designed for today’s routes. “We designed Pedal 4 around that job: a full round of deliveries, through streets a van can’t get down, ridden by anyone who can ride a bike.”
Inside the electric cargo bike
Minimal does not see the Pedal 4 as an electrified van, a scaled-up bicycle or a simple cargo bike. The company wants it to be a vehicle built for delivery work, with its look taken directly from how it works.
The chassis rests on four wheels for stability. Independent double-wishbone suspension sits at the front, and a rubber torsion axle sits at the rear. Together, they keep the vehicle level through corners, even when the cargo box is full.
The engineering team removed the traditional bike chain. They also cut fasteners and part counts. The goal was a vehicle rugged enough for daily use and simple enough to service quickly.
The frame is exposed zinc-coated carbon steel, paired with satin black metal covers. Minimal chose this finish so the visible structure reflects the vehicle’s function.
Minimal product design engineer Sean Heaney says the design brief was clear. “Pedal 4 has to do a van’s job every day for years, so it can’t be fragile, fussy or expensive,” Heaney said. “Our biggest wins came from deleting parts, not adding features.”
Heaney adds that rethinking the geometry reduced the part count and fastenings. That made the vehicle tougher and quicker to repair, and cheaper to build at Minimal’s London microfactory.
The electric cargo bike has two slots for swappable batteries. Riders lift each battery out to charge it away from the vehicle. Together, the two batteries provide a range of 60 kilometres.
In the UK, the electric cargo bike counts as a heavy-duty electrically power-assisted cycle, or EPAC. Riders do not need a driving licence, which Minimal says widens the pool of people who can do the work.
Every Pedal 4 runs Minimal’s FleetOS fleet management software, which tracks routes and vehicle performance. Minimal says the data will guide the next round of design changes. It will also inform the company’s autonomous vehicle programme.
That programme already has a product. Minimal has launched Bot, a delivery robot aimed at the UK and EU markets. Heaney views the Pedal 4 as the starting point for that work.
“Pedal 4 is where our autonomy work starts,” Heaney said. “Every vehicle is connected, and more than 100,000 kilometres of real delivery data has taught us what city logistics actually demands.”
Heaney argues that the same principles apply to autonomous vehicles. “The same principles carry over: fewer parts, lower cost, built for uptime. They are what make autonomy work economically, not just technically.”
The electric cargo bike has been engineered, tested and launched on London’s streets through Royal Mail and Evri. Heaney says the same vehicles and software can scale across Europe. Minimal plans a US launch in 2027.
If you are interested in electric vehicles that keep a sense of character, Peugeot’s Electric E-208 GTi Revival in Scotland offers a sportier counterpoint to utilitarian delivery machines.
Heaney says London is a demanding test. “London is one of the hardest places in the world to deliver, which makes it the best place to start,” he said. “If Pedal 4 works on London’s streets, it can work anywhere.”
For Heaney, the wider point concerns how cities move goods. “Cities can’t keep moving goods the way they did last century,” he said. “We need new ways of moving things that make our cities, our environment and our everyday lives better.”
Via dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
How much cargo space does the Minimal Pedal 4 cargo bike offer?
The Pedal 4 still offers 2.5 cubic metres of cargo space. Despite its small footprint, it carries roughly the load of a small van.
How far can the Pedal 4 electric cargo bike travel on one charge?
The Pedal 4 has two slots for swappable batteries, which together provide a range of 60 kilometres. Riders lift each battery out to charge it away from the vehicle.
Do riders need a driving licence to operate the Pedal 4?
No, riders do not need a driving licence to operate the Pedal 4. In the UK it counts as a heavy-duty electrically power-assisted cycle, or EPAC.
How did the Pedal 4 perform against vans in London trials?
In London trials, the Pedal 4 completed 36 per cent more deliveries per hour than vans. Its small footprint lets it use pedestrianised streets and cycle infrastructure.
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