Electric cargo bikes are often huge vehicles and cost as much as a used small car. Compact cargo bikes like Berlin’s Super Mighty, the first examples of which are due to hit the streets in autumn, take a different approach.
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Single-track e-cargo bikes such as the Urban Aero Family are often 2.60 meters long or just a few centimeters longer. In comparison, the Super Mighty from Berlin startup MDMA Solutions (the four letters stand for the first letters of the four founders) seems almost tiny at over two meters long. However, the compact dimensions are a real plus for narrow passages, narrow streets and general mobility, especially since the utility value is hardly affected.
Despite its compact size, the Super Mighty can carry a decent payload of 180kg. On small, fat tyres – 18-inch at the rear, 16-inch at the front – it zips around town surprisingly quickly and agilely, with a turning circle hardly larger than that of many normal bikes. Hydraulic Tektro disc brakes keep the load under control.
Super Mighty Big Enough
The seating position at almost the height of the rear wheel hub is unusual to look at, but during the short test drive the Super Mighty did not feel too small even at a height of 1.85 meters. With an eight-speed derailleur, the cargo bike can be ridden quite comfortably even without a motor, at least unloaded, but with a full box things can be different. The rear hub motor delivers a permissible continuous power of 250 watts and 60 Nm of torque. The controller and control elements on the handlebars come from Bafang.
The maximum range depends largely on weight, distance and weather conditions. The 500 Wh 36V battery can travel up to 65 kilometers on a single charge. At the Eurobike trade fair, the manufacturer also showed a version of the Super Mighty that is powered by two battery packs from the do-it-yourself brand Parkside instead of real batteries. In fact it is just a gimmick, but with suitable adapters and battery management it is a possible solution in an emergency.
Similar to the VanMoof, the Super Mighty is equipped with a boost button on the handlebar, which is especially helpful when driving uphill, as it immediately releases the full torque of the engine. When asked, the manufacturer said that the boost was approved by TÜV. Usage is limited in time; if you use the boost too often, it will turn off until the end of the ride.
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Compact Cargo Bike Super Mighty
(Image: Heise Online/SHT)
Super Mighty heavily discounted at launch
The regular price of the Super Mighty is 2890 euros. Its direct rival, the similarly sized Muli Muscle, costs exactly the same if you don’t add any additional extras to your shopping cart. Compared to the equally compact Carry e-cargo bike from Riese & Müller, both are real bargains; the basic version changes from only 5,799 euros. The manufacturer is offering the first 50 copies of the Super Mighty, the so-called Founders Edition, for 1,990 euros. The Founders Edition is still being built in Berlin, regular production will take place in Stettin, Poland.
To be able to transport something with the cargo bike, you still need the base plate for 79 euros and, ideally, the wooden cargo box, which costs another 299 euros. There is also space for a child seat.
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