A traffic warden intercepts an electric tricycle in Beijing. The capital imposed a ban that bars electric bikes and tricycles from 10 roads. Image: Zou Hong/China Daily
Following the recent crack down on delivery vehicles in some big cities, the State Postal Bureau of China has released a draft of national technical requirements for electric tricycles to be used by delivery companies for public review.
Shenzhen and Beijing were put into the spotlight after local traffic authorities launched a campaign on illegal electric bikes and tricycles, which was said to have affected delivery industry.
Booming e-commerce has led to a rapid expansion in the express delivery industry nationwide, especially in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
However, the massive growth of electric tricycles, especially those that are unlicensed or have substandard technologies, threatens road safety and brings urban traffic problems, according to the State Postal Bureau.
A courier en route to deliver packages in Beiing. Image: IC
The draft, coming after bans on the vehicles triggering heated discussion, aims to regulate the express delivery transportation.
It specifies that delivery tricycles can be no more than 1 meter wide, 3 meters long and 1.4 meters high, with a maximum payload of 180 kilograms, excluding the driver. It also requires the maximum speed of delivery electric tricycles to be 15 km per hour and tricycles used for delivery services should have a sign in front reading "express". However, it doesn't state whether it will allow e-tricycles to carry number plates. Read article atchinadaily
