Cargo bikes — which can carry everything from passengers to produce — are increasingly being used in place of greenhouse gas-emitting cars, trucks and vans.

A smaller 2019 study that focused on Seattle, found that electric-assisted cargo bikes were more cost-effective than vans in densely populated areas, such as the hearts of major cities.

Cargo bikes delivered more than 5 million packages in the city last year, according to Transportation Department data. The DOT unveiled its own, 3-foot-wide, four-wheeled e-bike earlier this year.

Simply sign up to the Sustainability myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox. Non-polluting, space-efficient cargo bikes could reduce future van mileage in central London by nearly a fifth ...

London's latest tactic in its crusade against pollution: subsidizing zero-carbon transport options like electric cargo bikes. While just 23% of businesses use bikes for deliveries, 87% expressed ...