Many people can’t do without their pet cats and dogs. From running to the store or taking a trip through the park, it’s never a dull moment when people can accompany their pets.
That said, walking outside with your pet dog can be tiring. Also, you won’t be able to enjoy the outdoors as much when driving in a car.
So, the best option is electric trikes. With an e-trike, you can ride anywhere comfortably and take your pets. Modern electric tricycles have several features to help you travel with your pet dogs and keep them safe throughout the ride.
However, not all e-trikes are pet-friendly. You’ll want specific models like electric cargo bikes or folding e-trikes. Let’s talk more about these and a couple of suitable options.
Features To Look For In A Pet-Friendly Electric Trike
Safety should be the number one priority when looking for an electric tricycle that can accommodate you and your pet companions. You need an electric tricycle that keeps you and your pet safe and sound when riding through extreme weather conditions and busy city streets.
Safety Features for Your Pets when Buying an E-Trike
For your pet’s safety, ensuring they have a comfortable and injury-free riding experience is important. This means investing in features like:
- Shock Absorption: Make sure the electric tricycle has a front-fork suspension system. It’s even better if it has a full suspension with dual shock absorbers in the rear. This can really help keep your pets safe and comfortable during bumpy rides.
- Weather Protection: Most trikes won’t include pet-safe rain covers or canopies. So, if you have larger pets or ride through unpredictable weather, invest in this type of weather protection.
- Non-Slip Surfaces: This mainly applies to electric tricycles with a large cargo box. Ensure this cargo box has anti-slip flooring or mats to prevent slipping. This can help secure your pet and prevent them from bumping into the edges or falling off the cargo box.
- Dedicated Cargo Area: Your pets need a spacious and secure cargo area. This means enough space for them to sit comfortably without moving around too much. Also, if you use pet carriers or baskets, the cargo space should accommodate these attachments and keep them secure.
- Proper Ventilation: Some cargo boxes or waterproof bags might restrict airflow to the cargo inside. Make sure this is not the case with your electric tricycles, as pets need enough ventilation when you’re riding. So, pick a cargo rack or box that is well-ventilated. Prioritize cargo boxes with mesh panels, breathable materials and adjustable ventilation slots.
- Separate Area for the Battery: The battery can be the most expensive and volatile component. So, when you’re riding around with pets, it’s important to keep them separate from the battery. Make sure to check the battery placement so it’s away from the cargo area and doesn’t interfere with your pet’s safe space. Otherwise, your pets might tamper with the battery, or the battery might overheat and harm your pets.
Other Important Safety Features of Best E-Trikes
- Reliable Brakes: One of the most crucial safety features is the brakes. Your pet-friendly electric trikes need responsive brakes that provide immediate stopping power during various weather conditions and emergencies. Mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes are the better option for this purpose.
- Parking Brake: You want to ensure the tricycle won’t veer off whenever you’ve parked it in front of a store or on the side of the street. This is especially important if you’ve got a pet cat or dog in the cargo space. So invest in an electric tricycle with a good parking brake.
- Side Mirrors and Signal Lights: Most electric trikes and bikes don’t have side mirrors. So be sure to pick one that includes these. Side mirrors can help you monitor traffic behind you without turning your head. Besides, signal lights can help you communicate with traffic and pedestrians when turning.
- High Payload Capacity: The higher the payload capacity, the more cargo you can load onto your electric tricycle. This spec is important if you’re transporting heavier dogs. Also, make sure not to exceed this limit when you’re loading up extra cargo and supplies.
- Quality Tires and Wide Wheelbase: You don’t always need a fat tire electric tricycle to accommodate your pet dogs. That said, ensure the tricycle has a broader frame and quality tires. These prevent your trike from slipping or tipping over, especially during emergencies.
Types of Electric Tricycles Designed for Pet-Safe Travel
Safety aspects cover the fundamentals of riding electric tricycles with pet dogs. However, the next step is deciding what type of electric tricycle best fits your lifestyle.
When transporting pet cats and dogs, you can go with foldable trikes, fat tire trikes or cargo tricycles.
Foldable Electric Trikes
Foldable tricycles are the best option for saving space and maintaining portability. They are also the most budget-friendly option and provide decent value for money.
That said, foldable trikes are usually limited by their terrain compatibility. You can’t ride them through off-road surfaces like sand, snow, mud and rocky paths. You’ll almost always have to stick with smooth paved roads in an urban setting.
Foldable tricycles tend to have limited weight capacities. So ensure the folding e-trike has enough payload capacity to support you and your pet dog. Also, you want to make sure the foldable trike includes a cargo rack to support your pets.
The Addmotor CITYTRI is one of the most affordable and high-value folding electric tricycles for riders with pets. It has a sizable rear rack and a 360-lb payload capacity and is also UL2849-safety certified.
Cargo Trikes
Electric cargo bikes (or trikes) are a viable alternative if you’re looking for something more substantial. These cargo e-trikes are heavier and bulkier, but they provide much space for your pets.
Besides, they have a high enough weight capacity to allow you to carry tons of extra cargo alongside your pet.
Addmotor recommends their E-325 Electric Cargo bike for pet-friendly travel. This electric cargo bike provides the most utility thanks to its 550-lb payload capacity and front-load cargo box.
This cargo box has enough space for 2-3 small dogs and even human passengers, as long as you don’t overshoot the weight limit.
The Addmotor E-325 is also the most versatile for riding in various weather conditions. It includes accessories such as a sun and rain canopy for extra protection.
Wrapping Up
You can use almost any electric tricycle to transport dogs and other pets. However, these trikes must have crucial safety features for you and your pet companions.
This includes a comfortable suspension system, reliable brakes and canopies to protect pets from the sun and rain. You also need a parking brake and a wider wheelbase for extra safety.
Cargo electric trikes are usually the best option for transporting pets. They provide dedicated areas to accommodate pets safely and comfortably.
You can also use a foldable or fat tire trike to travel with your dog. Just make sure they have a spacious and comfortable cargo box or rack so they can stay comfortable while riding.
