Huge motor for huge cargo

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The Eunorau Cargo Max uses a similar setup to the Eunorau G20 e-cargo bike that we previously tested, but swaps in a more affordable direct drive motor instead of the pricier mid-drive. Having put some good miles on the Eunorau Cargo Max recently, I’m ready to tell you exactly what I like (and don’t like) about this budget-friendly e-cargo bike.

Electric cargo bikes are one of my favorite niches in the e-bike industry because of their extreme utility.

While most e-bikes are for getting around or having fun, electric cargo bikes are for getting a week’s worth of groceries or helping a friend move.

Or if carrying passengers is more your thing, they can be used for taking the kids to school or cruising the city with your partner.

And the Eunorau Max Cargo electric bike is the latest heavy-hauling cargo bike I’ve tested that can perform all of these tasks and more.

You can see my testing of the e-bike in my video review below, or keep reading for all of the details on this potent car-replacing electric bike.

Eunorau Cargo Max video review

Eunorau Cargo Max tech specs

Motor: 750W/1000W direct drive rear hub motor
Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
Range: 50-75 miles (80-120 km) with dual batteries
Battery: 48V 11.6Ah (556 Wh) + 48V 14Ah (672 Wh)
Weight: 83 lb (38 kg) with second battery
Weight capacity: 440 lb (200 kg)
Tires: 24 x 2.4″
Brakes: 180 mm rotor disc brakes
Extras: LED display, LED headlight and tail/brake light, Y-kickstand, Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, included fenders and wooden rear rack platform with wooden running boards, mounting points for front and rear rack accessories
Price: Starts at $1,699 but you can take 3% off with the code ELECTREK

Do it all on an e-bike

As a longtail electric cargo bike, you know what you’re getting into with the Eunorau Max Cargo here. It rides like a boat because it’s a stretched-out bike, but you get used to that handling pretty quickly.

The 24″ tires split the difference between larger diameter bike wheels that give a smoother ride and smaller diameter alternatives that keep the bike more nimble.

I love the half twist throttle as a comfortable way to apply power when you aren’t in the pedaling mood, though the cadence-based pedal assist and 7-speed Shimano drivetrain both work great when you do want to be an active part of the process.

The braking is also more powerful than I found it to be on the Eunorau G20. Perhaps the company started supplying higher-quality brake pads as standard components. Whatever it is, I’m glad to see the brakes getting stronger.

Eunorau Max Cargo electric bike review: Big motor, bigger potential as a cheap car replacement!

As usual, I really like the wooden accents that Eunorau includes, namely the rear cargo deck and the the side running boards.

They look pretty snazzy and the running boards work great for either securing cargo or resting the feet of passengers.

Speaking of passengers, I carried my nephews around as experimental payload and we all had a blast on the bike. Three riders was no problem at all, though we (or rather they) found that the wooden deck is not very comfortable to sit on by itself.

I had a couple deck pads from another bike that I was able to use to make a more comfortable bench in back, though you could use any scrap of foam you having laying around to fashion a nicer seat if you wanted to.

When I didn’t have human cargo in back, I lashed a variety of non-human cargo onto the bike. The variety of frame rails back there make it easy to bungee strap just about anything to the deck. The cargo and passengers are up a bit high, but you get used to the weight back there quite quickly.

The Y-shaped double kickstand is great for parking while you have cargo strapped down, since it allows the bike to stay straight up and down instead of leaning to one side.

And the low step-through shape of the frame on the Eunorau Cargo Max is also nice when you have passengers or cargo on back, so you don’t have to try and swing your leg over the bike and clear whatever obstacles you’re currently carrying. One easy step through the center of the frame is all it takes.

The step-through section isn’t terribly low, but that’s also important on a long bike designed for heavy loads – you don’t want it accidentally becoming a folding bike.

And did I mention the heavy loads? This thing is apparently rated for up to 440 lb or 200 kg! That sounds… like a tall order. Tern’s exquisitely-made bikes are rated for similar weights and they cost 3x as much. So I don’t know how I’d feel about loading this thing to the maximum all the time, but it is comforting to know that its built stronger than typical e-bikes.

One of the main differentiators between this electric cargo bike and others is the motor. Eunorau is using a direct drive hub motor, which is why it is so much larger in diameter than most hub motors these days.

The direct drive format was more popular several years ago but has since lost favor among many manufacturers due to its higher weight and lower torque.

On the other hand, the giant size means it is much better at heat dissipation (important for cargo bikes that may generate lots of motor heat when hauling heavy loads up long hills).

They also tend to last longer than geared motors since there aren’t any internal moving parts to break down. When geared motors start chipping teeth and running into problems, direct drive motors like these pretty much keep working forever, or at least until one day the magnets and laminations finally rust out – which could be several decades if you do a good job of not submerging your motor or riding in torrential rains all the time.

Another nice feature of the new Eunorau Max Cargo is the ability to add a second battery. The entry level 550 Wh battery isn’t huge (upgrading to the 674 Wh battery helps boost your range), but adding a second battery gives you the chance to double your range.

It’s as easy as screwing on three bolts and plugging the battery wire into a pre-installed receptacle that comes on each bike.

As it stands, the entry-level model at $1,699 is a pretty good deal, though I’m not a huge fan of the 550 Wh battery. But if you upgrade to a larger battery or double up with two batteries, you’ve got some serious capacity to play with, though that also increases the cost significantly and makes it a harder sell in my opinion. To make it an even better deal though, use the code ELECTREK to take 3% off, or about $50 off of the base-level model!

There are several options on the market now for electric cargo bikes, and I think Eunorau brings good value to the table. Smaller entry-level battery aside, the rest of the bike is good and you get nice included features like fenders and running boards that other companies sometimes charge extra for. While it doesn’t have the best fit and finish compared to the fancier e-bikes, it’s a solid entry in an important category, and you can call me a fan.

Oh yeah, and the bike even came with a mystery gift inside, which was a fun little surprise to try and guess what it was. It had a very metallic sound and was super lightweight. I won’t ruin the surprise by spoiling it, but I’ll at least say that it wasn’t anything life changing. Still, a cute little idea that I’ve never heard of any other e-bike companies doing.