-3:26 AM on November 19, 2021, Pacific Time
I like riding electric bikes, partly because of how many different uses they provide. Like the next person, I like cycling on trails or cruising on the beach, but electric bikes provide more than just fitness or leisure riding. Any day I can travel with an electric bike instead of a car is a good day. An electric cargo bike like the Blix Packa Genie I’ve been riding provides some of the best practical tools for real errands and movement of people.
Unless you plan to buy a four-wheel electric bike, a two-wheel electric cargo bike may provide the best cargo capacity.
An additional benefit is that it is still easy to park on the street, just like an ordinary bicycle (although it is slightly longer).
Blix recently updated its Packa cargo electric bike to make it more practical than ever. Now with the new dual battery option, it offers some of the best ranges.
To see its dual responsibility as a cargo mover and a human mover, please check out the video review below. Then continue to scroll through the pictures and my complete thoughts on bicycles.
The first thing I noticed about Packa is that it is not only a cargo electric bike, but also a beautiful electric bike.
In the world of long-tail cargo electric bicycles, this is not a given problem, where proportions are stretched and aesthetics are often sacrificed.
But Blix Bikes is known for its elegant and elegant Dutch-style electric bicycles, so the company managed to apply these skills to and maintain a really good-looking cargo bike.
However, if it doesn't work well, what good is the appearance. Fortunately, Blix is very popular due to its excellent startup performance.
The 750W motor is surprisingly powerful. Blix said that although the rated power is 750W, its peak power is indeed as high as 1,350W. This may explain why it gives people an exciting feeling.
Many cargo electric bikes feel dull due to the extra weight, but the Packa here has an almost hot rod feel. When you twist the throttle, the torque starts immediately and it really flies off the line. Considering that it is designed to carry heavy loads, this is exactly the cargo bike I want. The 24-inch wheels are a bit smaller than the typical 26-inch wheels and help increase torque with a favorable gear ratio, which may contribute to an additional boost offline. They can also prevent the weight in the basket from sitting too high and feeling unstable. Many cargo bikes have used smaller 22-inch or even 20-inch tires, and 24 inch tires are used as some of the larger tires left in such electric bicycles.
This is a class 2 electric bike, which means it has a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). Although I usually like to have higher speeds, cargo bikes are one of those times that make me feel that 20 mph is fast—especially when they are loaded with weight or passengers.
Therefore, between fast acceleration and a top speed of 20 mph, performance feels great to me.
But this equation is more than just how powerful a bicycle is. Stopping is equally important (or arguably more important, depending on who you are asking). A pair of powerful hydraulic disc brakes make Packa stop quickly and confidently.
I have ridden an electric cargo bike with poor brakes before. It is not a feeling of self-confidence to grab the lever just to feel that your power is slowly draining. The brakes of the Blix Packa Genie are exactly what I want-crisp, fast and controllable.
The real star of the show here is how much range you can get when you choose two batteries. The bike is equipped with single or double 614 Wh batteries. A single battery pack has a range of 40 miles (64 kilometers), while the dual battery option with 1,228 Wh provides a range of 80 miles (129 kilometers).
Now this is the pedal assist range, and on single-battery or dual-battery models, using only the throttle may get you closer to 25 or 50 miles (40 or 80 kilometers), respectively. But as I mixed pedal assist and throttle action, I fell in the middle of that range.
The disadvantage of the two batteries is that they make the bike more expensive, but surprisingly the price is not high. The second battery only increased by $300.
I say "only" because, although $300 is a lot of money, it is actually much lower than the cost of buying a 614 Wh battery in a retail store. So they will never let you choose a second battery.
About the performance of the bicycle is enough, let's talk about the store. Freight electric bicycles are all about freight options, and Packa Genie has many.
I replaced the front nameplate with the front basket, and at the back I installed a child carrier and upholstered seat.
The front basket is very suitable for smaller boxes and backpack-sized goods. The rear trailer can be used for loading (as long as it is large enough to not pass through the leg area, and when not as a trailer, a cheap cargo net may be a good accessory), but obviously its advantage lies in its real purpose- Bring children.
I dragged my nephew around, and then we turned that bike into a local kid’s taxi. The railing at the back gave them something safe, although I definitely deserved the running board so they had a place to put their feet. Fortunately, the children are very adaptable, they just put their feet on the frame. I told them not to put their feet on the spokes, because if I returned them without toes, my sister would be very angry. Although on the bright side, at least they need a longer time to get rid of shoes.
However, if Blix wants to add a clear protective cover to the child's feet, I would not object to using it as a safety feature.
When I started to learn about this bike, another thing that impressed me was all the extra details and beautiful details that Blix added.
The steering stabilizer and huge double bracket make parking a breeze.
The paint is applied very well and definitely looks better than the typical rush paint application we see in this price range.
The adjustable stem allows the rider to adjust the height and reach of the handlebar to suit different body types.
Even the bell is creatively installed on the fuel tank of the hydraulic brake lever instead of taking up extra space on the handlebar.
Speaking of those handlebars, look at the well-wrapped wires and cables. They make everything look more elegant and buttoned. This is not unique to Blix-we see it from time to time-but it is indeed very rare.
When you keep seeing so many different electric bikes, the attention to detail and some extras start to really make a difference between the models.
As I mentioned, electric cargo bikes seem to be the best car replacement option for me because they can do a lot of things.
The Packa's size is still normal enough, and I can treat it like a typical bicycle. It is not huge, although it is larger than a traditional city electric bicycle. But this does not prevent me from using it as a personal transportation to run to a coffee shop or make a normal commute.
At the same time, its front and rear cargo space has increased practicality. I can really buy groceries for more than a week on it, but it may be less than a week, depending on how old your family is.
It looks great and can be started!
Its price is $1,999, which is slightly higher than a typical entry-level electric bike in the range of $1,300 to $1,600, but it also offers more. It is well constructed, attractive, powerful, and has a sufficient range.
A few thousand dollars is a considerable investment, but if it saves you from having to buy a second family car, then it can be a considerable savings. My wife and I are a cycling family, precisely because we use two-wheelers most of the time.
Therefore, although it may not be suitable for everyone, I have proved alive that in many cases, high-performance electric bicycles can indeed replace cars.
I am very interested in Packa Genie, but let us hear your thoughts. Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
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Micah Toll is a personal electric car enthusiast, battery nerd, and the author of Amazon's number one best-selling book DIY Lithium Battery, DIY Solar, and the Ultimate DIY Electric Bike Guide.
You can send him a reminder via Micah@electrek.co
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