Is the Forward electric tricycle a new delivery star?

Those who are older probably remember the Soviet scooter "Ant". And, of course, its three-wheeled cargo version. In the Union, they were very popular both among various enterprises (for example, the USSR Post was happy to operate them) and among private traders. Especially in the outback.
The recipe for popularity was quite simple – low cost, easy to repair, durable. For private buyers, it was also important that the scooter could be purchased more or less freely. by cars This trick didn’t work – the queues sometimes stretched for decades.




I must say that in the thin and slow Soviet traffic, the low-speed scooter felt great.
But now look at the traffic in Moscow, Saratov, Ryazan, and any more or less large city in Russia, and it will immediately become clear - "there is no place for old people." They are not. Nearly.

From time to time, here and there, there is another project of the reincarnation of three-wheeled vehicles. As a rule, after looking at the incredible popularity of such self-running strollers in Asian countries, a new fascinated enthusiast seizes on the idea - if they buy there, why not buy here?
And he imports a batch of Chinese scooters for sale. This is if the fantasy is tight or you want to quickly. And if there is imagination, and time, and production capacity, he starts his own project.

It seems that the Nizhny Novgorod company Forward, which presented its tricycle model of the same name, went approximately in this way. And, electric!
The company's main activity is the production of fiberglass products. For example, they manufacture superstructures for GAZ vehicles. trucks, masks for the Vityaz trams, elements of the cabin of the Ivolga electric trains, etc. Now the Nizhny Novgorod residents have come to the point of rolling out their own, albeit small, means of transport to the public.

Let's get acquainted!

Looks "Forward" is very impressive. And, importantly, the body gives the impression of a quality thing. The panels are neatly assembled, the gaps are even and small, nothing dangles, does not stagger. It is not for nothing that Nizhny Novgorod residents have been working with fiberglass for so many years.



The cabin is designed for one driver. The interior is assembled soundly and does not look miserable. At the rider's disposal is a convenient front panel with instruments, USB connectors, shelves and cup holders. There is even a parody of the heater - a ceramic fan heater aimed at the windshield. Behind the driver's back are meshes, where it is convenient to fold A4 papers.



The driver's seat ... although no, calling this stubby chair a chair does not allow a sense of justice. What the creators offer to sit in the cabin is, perhaps, the only ergonomic mistake. Not only is the seat simply uncomfortable, it also has no adjustments, even longitudinal. Although this is understandable, because it is located so close to the steering wheel that there is hardly a person who would like to move even closer. And there is nowhere to move back - the back wall interferes. As a result, one has to sit with strongly bent and unnaturally twisted legs. This is if the growth is slightly above average. A really tall driver just won't fit in this capsule. So it’s just right for the manufacturer to impose height restrictions on rides in amusement parks. Actually, ideally, so that the height of the driver does not exceed the height of the "Forward" - and this is 167 cm. If you grow taller - you are free, you do not suit us!



The tricycle is controlled using a regular motorcycle steering wheel. It has a button to start the electric motor, turn signals, and a gas handle. The mode switch (forward/backward) is also located here. Yes, the Forward, despite its name (forward means “forward”), can go not only forward, but also backward. Large “ears” of the rear-view mirrors help maneuver. The brakes are activated by an inconvenient floor pedal.
The cargo compartment is small (slightly less than a cubic meter), but comfortable. Closed with a roller shutter. The solution is elegant and convenient, but is it reliable? If this gate opens and closes several dozen times a day, and even in a hurry, not always neatly, how long will it last? Time will tell.



Inside the cargo compartment there are no devices for securing luggage. It upset. So the buyer himself will have to "collective farm" something. And without fixing it is impossible - the volume of the trunk, albeit small, but sufficient for, for example, a bag of pizza to fly and bounce on every bump. And to load the compartment under the ceiling, so that there is simply no free space for chatter, the low carrying capacity interferes - less than 100 kg. Unless you deliver toilet paper or diapers.

Устройство

All the mechanical filling that helps the "Forward" move in space has a Chinese ancestry. First of all, this is a CJGW6 electric motor with a power of one horsepower (800 W), equipped with a two-stage gearbox. When fully loaded or on a steep slope, you can move off in "low gear".
The motor is powered by one or two gel batteries located under the floor of the cargo compartment.



Suspension is traditional for this class of equipment. Front fork with hydraulic shock absorbers, springs on the rear axle. The engine is also located there. Naturally, such a scheme is not stable on the road - rolls sometimes reach frightening values. Therefore, it can be recognized as a boon that the maximum speed is limited to 30 km / h. Driving faster is dangerous. Moreover, only a two-point waist belt is responsible for passive safety, which, I am sure, will never be used.
The manufacturer claims that on one battery the tricycle is able to travel about 40 km, on two, respectively, twice as much. Moreover, you can charge the batteries only from a 220V household network and it will take from eight to ten hours to fully charge. And with that we come to the main question.

What are the prospects for Forward?

Remember how Boris Grebenshchikov once sang: “I don’t know who needs it and why ...” So “Forward” raises the same questions. The obvious target audience can be considered various courier services. But, given the small payload, low speed and power reserve, this should be delivery "in the area." It should be borne in mind that, despite its small dimensions (only 93 cm wide), the tricycle will be forced to move in the general traffic flow. It won’t fit between the rows, you can’t drive on the sidewalk. And given the limited "maximum speed", he will frankly get in the way in front of the wheels of cars. And cause general irritation. Unless it will be easier to park in a cramped space.



In addition, the possibility of winter operation raises questions. And it's not even that in a fiberglass capsule, even with an electric hair dryer, the driver can die - you can give him a uniform sheepskin coat and felt boots. But how does a three-wheeled chassis behave on a slippery road? How will these little wheels get over the snow parapets? How much will the power reserve decrease? “...Where are you rushing to? Give an answer. Gives no answer."



Well, the icing on the cake is the price. Exactly corresponding to the power of one horsepower. That is, horse. Do you know how much the manufacturer asks for his "star electric scooter"? 600 (in words - six hundred!) thousand rubles! Sorry, but for this money you can buy a Lada Granta, not even in the basic configuration. Which, in comparison with the Forward, will be better in almost everything.
And again I want to listen to BG. “I don’t know who and why this is necessary ...”