Stadtservice Tested an Innovative Electric Cargo Bike for City Cleaning
01.10.2026 – It’s an eye-catching vehicle that the Stadtservice department of Stadtwerke Offenbach temporarily used to collect trash: Teams from the City Cleaning and Parks and Recreation departments tested a new type of four-wheeled electric cargo bike for daily use in removing trash along the banks of the Main River, in parks, in the city center, and at the harbor. The goal was to explore additional options for street cleaning and parks and recreation, as well as to gain experience with new technologies. The trial focused primarily on cleaning along paths and in areas that are only partially accessible with conventional cleaning vehicles.
The four-wheeled e-bike is called Fastport and was developed by the Honda Research & Development team, which is based in Offenbach. The development department had approached the Innovation and Technology Department of Stadtwerke Offenbach to ask if they would be interested in conducting a supervised field test of the product concept. The concept was originally developed for package and delivery services. Stadtwerke Offenbach tested the prototype to assess its practical suitability for their areas of operation.
Martin Wilhelm (City Treasurer and Head of the Relevant Department)Littering—the careless discarding of trash—is one of the factors that significantly influence people’s sense of safety and the quality of life in a city. That is why it is good that the Stadtservice department of Stadtwerke, in addition to its regular cleaning rounds, is also testing methods that allow for flexible cleaning.
The electric cargo bike opens up new possibilities for Stadtservice. Since it is technically classified as an e-bike, it can also be ridden by employees who do not have a driver’s license. It’s narrow enough to reach paths and areas that are difficult or impossible for larger vehicles to access. At the same time, it has a cargo compartment for transporting waste collected along the way. However, the vehicle isn’t yet available on the market.
“We regularly test new approaches and technologies to improve our work, especially when it comes to waste collection in inner-city areas. Not every innovation proves effective in everyday use. Nevertheless, we keep our eyes open and continually evaluate which solutions can benefit our employees and the city. The feedback from our test drivers shows that the vehicle attracted a great deal of attention from residents and generated significant interest. Our own staff were also enthusiastic about the vehicle,” says Heiko Linne, Operations Manager at ESO Stadtservice GmbH.
Each week, a different driver took the wheel so that the Stadtservice department could gather as diverse a range of feedback as possible. Meanwhile, Honda’s development team focused on the vehicle’s technical data. The two batteries and various driving characteristics were monitored online and are now being evaluated.