“Good Helper for Goods Transport” in Rural Revitalization: Uncle Li’s Orchard Transportation Story

In an apple-growing village in Shangqiu, Henan Province, the electric tricycle owned by Uncle Li, a fruit farmer, is the busiest “old companion” in the orchard. Every apple-harvest season, at 5 a.m., Uncle Li rides it through the fruit trees. The truck bed, lined with soft cotton cloth, carefully holds the freshly picked Fuji apples. “In the past, I carried apples by shoulder poles, and could only transport 150 kilograms a day at most. Now this tricycle can carry 400 kilograms at a time without much effort. The time saved lets me pick two more baskets of apples!” Uncle Li said with a smile, patting the handlebar.

This electric tricycle is an “orchard-specific model” designed by a local manufacturer exclusively for farmers: its narrow body easily passes through gaps between fruit trees; the detachable truck bed can be replaced with a flatboard to carry fertilizers and farming tools; it has a range of 60 kilometers, allowing three round trips from the orchard to the town’s purchasing point without recharging. Last year, an e-commerce courier station opened in the village. Uncle Li added a simple rain shelter to his tricycle, enabling him to deliver apples directly to the courier station even on rainy days. Fresh apples now reach urban consumers’ dining tables the next day. Today, more than 80% of fruit farmers in the village have bought the same model of electric tricycle. The orchard, once dependent on manual carrying, now bustles with “tricycle transport teams”—electric tricycles have become the real “fortune-making vehicles” in the eyes of villagers.

“Heartwarming Partner” in Urban Convenience: Aunt Wang’s Community Delivery Journey

In an old residential community in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, Aunt Wang’s electric tricycle is known as the “convenience warehouse” among neighbors. As a “silver-haired delivery worker” in the community, Aunt Wang rides her tricycle every day to buy groceries, deliver medicine for elderly residents with limited mobility, and collect parcels on their behalf. “There are no elevators in our community, so it’s hard for the elderly to climb stairs. My tricycle can just hold vegetable baskets and medicine boxes, and I feel at ease only when I deliver them to their doorsteps,” Aunt Wang said.

Her electric tricycle is a “community-specific model” carefully chosen by her daughter: foldable small seats are installed on both sides of the truck bed, allowing her to take elderly residents living alone to the community hospital from time to time; an insulated box hangs on the handlebar, keeping ice cream from melting in summer and steamed buns warm in winter; most thoughtfully, the manufacturer added a small storage compartment under the vehicle, specially designed to hold the elderly’s daily medicines. Once, Grandpa Zhang upstairs suddenly had a stomachache and had no medicine at home. Aunt Wang rode her tricycle to the pharmacy and bought stomach medicine in 10 minutes, solving Grandpa Zhang’s urgent need. Now, more and more volunteers in the community have joined the “Tricycle Convenience Team.” These electric tricycles shuttling between buildings have become a “heartwarming link” connecting neighbors.

“Travel Companion” for Special Groups: Brother Chen’s Barrier-Free Life

For Brother Chen, who has a lower limb disability, his electric tricycle is his “legs” to go out and integrate into society. “In the past, I relied on a wheelchair to go out, and I struggled when encountering steps. With this customized electric tricycle, I can go grocery shopping in the supermarket by myself and even take a walk in the park,” Brother Chen said.

This electric tricycle was customized by the manufacturer according to Brother Chen’s needs: its body height was lowered by 15 centimeters, making it easy for him to move directly from his wheelchair to the driver’s seat; the accelerator and brake are designed to be operated by hand, ensuring simple operation; the truck bed was transformed into a closed storage box, which can hold his wheelchair and personal items; reflective strips and warning lights were also added for safer driving at night. Once, Brother Chen rode it to visit a relative 20 kilometers away. When the battery was low, he happened to pass an electric tricycle repair station, where the mechanic helped him charge the battery for free. “Now not only is the tricycle convenient, but the after-sales service is also thoughtful. I no longer have to worry about going out,” Brother Chen said. Today, he has joined a mutual-aid group for people with disabilities, recommending suitable electric tricycles to more friends in need, so that this vehicle can become a “travel companion” for more special groups.

“Creative Carrier” for New Cultural Tourism Formats: Electric Sightseeing Tricycles in Ancient Towns

In an ancient town in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, a retro-styled electric tricycle has become a “new favorite” among tourists. Different from ordinary sightseeing vehicles, this electric tricycle imitates the architectural style of the ancient town: its body is painted with log-colored paint, blue calico curtains hang on both sides of the truck bed, and the driver wears ethnic costumes while driving and explaining the ancient town’s history to tourists. “Riding this tricycle to tour the ancient town is easier than walking. It also allows you to experience the charm of the old alleys up close—it’s really atmospheric,” said Xiao Zhou, a tourist from Shanghai.

This electric tricycle is a “cultural tourism-specific model” jointly developed by the ancient town scenic area and a local manufacturer: its speed is controlled at 8 kilometers per hour, ensuring safety while allowing tourists to enjoy the scenery at a leisurely pace; the truck bed can seat 4 people and is equipped with USB charging ports and small tabletops, making it convenient for tourists to place their mobile phones and water cups; most importantly, it has zero emissions and low noise, so it does not disturb the tranquility of the ancient town. Today, there are more than 20 such electric sightseeing tricycles in the ancient town. They not only solve the problem of tourists being “too tired to walk” but also promote local employment—many villagers have become tricycle drivers after training, increasing their income through this job. In this way, electric tricycles have become a “creative carrier” for the new cultural tourism format of the ancient town, allowing tourists to experience the unique charm of the ancient town in a slow-paced atmosphere.

From rural orchards to urban communities, from the travel routes of special groups to new scenic spots in cultural tourism areas, electric tricycles are no longer just simple means of transportation—they have become a “warm force” integrated into all aspects of life. With their practicality, convenience, and flexibility, they solve people’s real needs, create new value in different scenarios, and write vivid, life-close stories one after another.