The Pony Dog Bike Is a Cute Commuter Designed Around Your Dog

Several studies long confirmed that pets experience stress when they’re left behind, alone in the apartment, and each pet owner can speak for themselves in terms of how they feel when they have to make plans and exclude their pooch or kitty, or what-have-you. If you rely on a two-wheeler for your transportation needs, there are simply not many choices to allow you to take a pet with you.

It’s true, with the boom in popularity of two-wheelers, many e-bike manufacturers have branched out to include pet accessories, like crates, racks, and carrying bags. But to use them, the pet must already be accustomed to riding on an e-bike, or you’re facing consequences way direr than the walk in the park you carefully planned for.

A while back, we covered a little e-bike called Mopet, which aimed to address this teeny-tiny niche of the pet-owning e-bike riding market, by integrating a carrying cage for a medium to a small-size pet. Made available only on the Japanese market, it is now getting a sibling: the Pony Dog Bike. With it, we’re getting confirmation (of sorts) that there is demand for such an e-bike, and fresh hope that it might one day become internationally available.

This is the Pony Dog Bike, which Inside EVs describes as “literally a crate with wheels you can ride on.” And it’s just that: it’s a small e-bike designed around the case in which you’re supposed to carry your pet. At the same time, though, it’s also a bit more than that, because it’s probably trying to top other rival products, so it comes with enhanced functionality. The Pony Dog Bike might be made for your pet, but it can just as well be used as the daily commuter, your choice vehicle for the weekly grocery run, and the perfect first- and last-mile solution thanks to the fold-down handlebar, which makes it easy to transport in the trunk of your car.

Offered in Metal gray and Salmon pink (for the boys and the girls respectively, of course!), the Pony Dog Bike was born out of the desire to offer easy and fast transportation for a pet without having to use a car. It actually offers two ways of carrying the pet, or the possibility of carrying two: inside the crate that sits under the seat of the rider, or in a basket that mounts on the handlebar.

Power comes from a 400 W motor, with the battery hidden under the pet crate. A single charge is good for 40 km (25 miles), which isn’t a lot, but keep in mind that it doesn’t have pedals, so at least you won’t be arriving at your destination sweaty and tired. A full charge takes six hours.

The Pony Dog Bike weighs 28 kg (61.7 pounds) and has a total payload of 140 kg (308.6 pounds). Top speed is of 35 kph (21.7 mph), but you will need insurance, a license and a license plate in order to take it on public streets. When you do, rest assured that both the pooch and yourself will be riding comfortably: there’s double suspension on those tiny wheels, and dual braking. An anti-theft system should offer peace of mind when you park it outside.

Offered at a 60% discount on a Japanese crowdfunding site, the Pony Dog Bike is touted as the cutest and most practical way of traveling with your pet, which doesn’t include public transport or a personal car. It’s cute alright, but like the Mopet before it, it doesn’t seem a very sturdy option in heavy traffic. As for practicality, the crate measures 40 x 51 x 33 cm (15.7 x 20 x 13 inches), with a depth of 21 cm (8.2 inches). That is to say, unless you have a pet on the smaller side, there’s no chance you’ll be cramming it inside that thing.

With a price tag of just JPY 139,860 (approximately $966 at the current exchange rate), the e-bike can be fitted with a series of accessories including a dedicated cover, a fully waterproof multifunctional body bag (for the human, not the dog), and smartphone holder. Again, the Pony Dog Bike is available in Japan only, but if there’s one thing to take away for international dog owners and e-bike riders, it’s that we might be heading into a new phase of personal urban mobility… and our pets are coming along for the ride.