Subscription Lease Premium eBike Startup Expands into Sydney
As more Australians look for ways to live consciously and reduce greenhouse emissions, a Melbourne-based eBike startup is expanding to make it cheaper and easier for everyday people to reduce their carbon footprints.
Lug & Carrie, a premium eBike subscription service, has officially launched in Sydney following bumper growth in Melbourne over the past 18 months, and double-digit growth in Australia’s eBike sales last year.
Founded by brothers Ben and Dan Carr, Lug & Carrie is the ‘Stan of Australian eBike providers’ – offering customers of all experience levels their own top-of-the-range eBike on a flexible, affordable, and scalable pay-as-you-go subscription lease, without hefty costs and long-term commitments.
Customers make simple weekly payments and can adjust their subscription with ease – changing accessories, and upgrading, swapping, purchasing, or returning their bike with only four weeks’ notice. Never has it been easier to ditch the car or public transport for local travel and unlock the lifestyle and sustainability benefits that come with accessing a premium eBike.
With Australia’s transport sector currently producing 19 per cent of Australia’s entire emissions rate, and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently reporting that Australia has warmed by 1.4C (well above the global average), Lug & Carrie is on a mission to make cleaner and greener eBike options accessible to everyday consumers.
Indeed, the immense potential for eBikes to reduce greenhouse emissions is clear, with studies showing that eBikes emit only 22g of CO2 per km – less than one-tenth of a car’s worth of CO2 per km (271g), and that an individual e-bike could provide an average reduction of 225kg CO2 per year.
Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) suggest that many Australians often commute transient distances that could easily and economically be travelled via eBike. The ABS reports that almost three in four Australian workers commute less than 20km each day, with half of all workers in capital cities traveling less than 10km.[1] Workers in Melbourne and Sydney were found to be commuting an average of 15km.
Kicking eBike accessibility up a gear to maximise potential
Unlike many Australian eBike companies that have traditionally sold eBikes outright at high prices or marketed subscriptions to individual couriers, businesses and/or the gig economy, Lug & Carrie offers quality eBikes as a fun, affordable and viable everyday transport alternative.
For a fixed weekly fee starting from $44, Lug & Carrie subscribers can enjoy sole access to a premium eBike kitted out with all of the essentials including delivery and customisation, regular maintenance by an expert mechanic, roadside assistance, and theft and damage insurance.
Subscribers can choose between the Tern HSD (‘Haul Stuff Daily’) eCity Bike, starting at $44; or the Tern GSD (‘Get Stuff Done’) eCargo Bike, starting at $61 – both of which are custom-designed to carry children, family, friends, groceries and bulky belongings. Tern’s award-winning eBikes boast powerful built-in dual-battery technology to enable trips over long distances and in strong headwinds, plus smaller wheels, easy step-through frames and a low centre of gravity to ensure that riders of all sizes can easily manage heavy loads and getting on and off their eBike with confidence and stability.
The Tern HSD and Tern GSD are both designed to carry cargo, with built-in racks that hold up to 60kgs (for the HSD) and 180kgs (for the GSD) of vertical storage, respectively. Each model also features a top-of-the-range Bosch electric pedal assist motor to give riders an extra boost, with five levels of assistance ranging from Zero to Turbo.
With low upfront costs and a four-week minimum subscription, customers can ‘try before they buy’, and have the flexibility of an option to purchase their bike outright at a guaranteed price over time. Customers can also personalise their subscriptions to include accessories such as cargo carriers, hauler racks, sidekick bars, kids’ seats with safety rails, storm shield canopies, and more.
Based on customers this year to-date, Lug & Carrie expects more than 500 Australians to ditch their cars in favour of a Lug & CarrieeBike for local trips and everyday tasks like shopping, meet-ups and school runs.
“We know that Australians of all ages are increasingly looking at new ways to live more sustainably and cost effectively. We also know that COVID has boosted many peoples’ desires to get outside, avoid public transport and travel shorter distances – as well as recoup incidental fun and exercise that’s been lost due to lockdowns and working from home,” said Lug & Carrie Co-Founder, Dan Carr.
“A second car is a significant financial investment for most people, so it makes sense that if eBikes can perform many of a car’s functions – with less cost and commitment, plus added fun, health, sustainability and lifestyle benefits – they’re a transport alternative worth considering,” Dan continued.
“The reality, for most of us, is that eBikes can replace cars and public transport for local trips and tasks – especially in urban areas. EBikes are equal parts leisure and utility vehicles, and they truly can allow us to ‘do daily life better’.
“In both Sydney and Melbourne, we’ve seen an increase in bike infrastructure and pop-up lanes since the pandemic began, and many of us – including beginner cyclists – can actually use eBikes to travel shorter distances faster than we could via car, train or bus,” said Lug & Carrie C0-Founder, Ben Carr.
“Despite this, eBikes have often been overlooked due to the significant costs associated with up-front purchase – you’re usually looking at many thousands of dollars to buy a good quality model, and that’s a massive barrier to entry for your everyday consumer.
“Lug & Carrie is thrilled to offer a better and more accessible alternative that doesn’t skimp on quality or service for cost. Our award-winning Tern eBikes usually retail for anywhere between $5000-$8000. Instead, we lease them out for as little as $44 a week with all the bells and whistles, plus top-notch round-the-clock service. Most Australians spend more money each week on public transport or running a car, with far less payoff for their health, happiness and the world around them.
“We want to shake things up and democratise access to premium eBikes so that all Australians can travel more greenly and reach their full sustainability and lifestyle potential,” Ben concluded.
For more information on Lug & Carrie, visit www.lug-carrie.com
[1] Census of Population and Housing: Commuting to Work – More Stories from the Census, 2016