Start with the weight you actually carry
Payload decides whether a cargo bike works for you, and makers do not measure it the same way. Tern lists a maximum payload of 210 kg for its long-wheelbase cargo model. AOVO Official gives 150 kg as the payload for its cargo bike and a separate maximum load of 120 kg for its folding city model. Ask each maker what sits inside its figure, because a total load and a rider-plus-cargo payload are different things.
Write down your own figure first, since a weekly shopping load and a work-order load differ hugely. Then use the Cargo e-bikes ranking to sort listed models into bands and see which clear your number with headroom left.
Read the price band, not the sticker
AOVO Official publishes a band, running €110 at the entry point to €899.99 at the top, and finance is offered alongside. Treat finance as a change in timing rather than cost: the term length and the total repaid decide whether it helps.
Entry prices across the listings in this comparison run €175.38 to €5,999, and upper prices run €701.56 to €14,000. That spread explains why a single headline figure tells you little on its own.
Tern sells through a dealer, so expect one agreed figure per model rather than a published band, plus whatever the dealer adds for delivery and assembly. Ask for the price in writing against the exact model name.
Battery, range and motor power
Tern's largest listed battery is 1,600 Wh, paired with a claimed range of 288 km on its long-wheelbase cargo bike. AOVO Official's largest is 594 Wh, with a claimed range of 25 to 30 km on its folding city model, and its battery is removable, which matters if you plan to charge indoors.
Assist class is listed as EU 25 for Tern and EU 25 for AOVO Official, so neither locks you into a weaker class in the UK. Tern lists motor position as mid on its long-wheelbase cargo bike, driven by a bosch unit, which keeps the mass low and central under load.
Nominal power is where sheets disagree most. AOVO Official is listed at 250 to 350 W, with 350 W nominal on its folding city model, while nominal power across all listed models runs 250 to 2,000 W. More watts help on gradients and under load but drain the pack faster, so read the power figure beside the range figure, never alone.
Drivetrain, brakes and daily handling
Tern fits a belt drive, so there is no chain to oil and the routine servicing list shortens. Brake types are listed as hydraulic disc for Tern and disc for AOVO Official. On a bike that carries weight and stops often, the brake spec is worth more than a cosmetic drivetrain choice.
Weight matters if you lift the bike into a car or up steps: Tern's lightest listed figure is 22.8 kg. The AOVO Official folding model has a folding frame, so check whether you will actually store it folded and how wide it stands when you do.
Category hints at versatility. Tern covers cargo, commuter and folding bikes, while AOVO Official lists city and cargo bikes, which points to a narrower set of uses.
Certification, water rating and who you buy from
Tern's Quick Haul line carries the ul 2849 certification, and the AOVO Official folding city model is rated IPX5 for water ingress. For wet winters and towpath riding, an ingress rating is worth checking because it is published rather than implied.
Check the counterparty. The AOVO Official store is run by AOVO Technology (HongKong) Limited, registered in HK, with listed delivery across GB, IE and US. Make sure that entity name appears on the invoice and the warranty document, since it is the party a claim runs against.
Support, servicing and the return window
This is where direct-to-door brands most often differ from established makers. Tern gives a 10 year frame warranty, sells through a dealer and services bikes through a partner network, so a local workshop is the first call after a fault.
AOVO Official sells through both channels and runs a own service network. Support runs by email, chat and help centre, and the return window is 14 days.
Read the Tern review and the AOVO Official review for the servicing detail on each. Tern's founding year of 2011 also indicates how long its frame designs have been in production, which shapes parts availability years ahead.
Line-ups and a short checklist
Tern's listed line-up is GSD R14, Quick Haul D8, HSD P10e, Vektron P7i, and AOVO Official's is AOVO T1 Pro, AOVO X9 Promax, AOVO X11, AOVO G2. Line-ups show how deep a brand goes on one frame, and deeper ranges tend to mean steadier parts continuity.
Before buying, check four things in order: payload against your real load, the published price band against your budget, the claimed range against your longest trip, and the support route you would use if something failed. The Ecotric review, the Fiido review and the Lectric Ebikes review cover other listed brands in the same comparison.