Comments Off on LEVA-EU member Carla Cargo welcomes new Sales and Marketing Manager
Jörg Fingerle joined the team at the beginning of 2023, and aims to drive forward the ‘traffic revolution’.
The appointment of a Sales and Marketing Manager for Carla Cargo sees the company launch into a new phase of development. Additionally, the new team member releases the company founder and pioneer Markus Bergmann to focus on other aspects of the brand.
Jörg Fingerle has been working in international sales and marketing for 25 years and has been active in the bicycle industry for many years. He is the founder of two bicycle stores in Freiburg and for recent years, has been in charge of sales at Jobrad and was responsible for setting up its new bicycle business division.
Carla Cargo will relocate to new Herbolzheim HQ
Carla Cargo plans the move for late April 2023. The cargo-bike-manufacturer’s new home base is close to the HQ of their primary supplier, features higher-quality working conditions, and will enable a more efficient production process. We wish the team the best with their move!
The ‘Cleaner Air Markets’ report from Fare City reveals that using cargo bikes and electric vehicles for the delivery of goods to local trader’s markets may reduce CO2 emissions by 67.5 times compared to use of conventional diesel vans.
The new UK-based report examines how the traders of a working market were enabled to switch from their polluting internal combustion engine vehicles to trial zero tailpipe emission modes of transport, such as cargo bikes and electric vehicles. Report publisher, Fare City shares, “There is an exciting opportunity to reconsider how we service our public markets. At present, traders use polluting vans and cars to bring goods to and from markets in towns and cities across the UK. For years, this practice of driving goods into the heart of communities has contributed to local air pollution, congestion, and carbon emissions, adversely impacting the very people such markets aim to serve.”
In its inaugural effort to develop one London marketplace, Fare City reports that if all traders within the trial were to permanently switch to zero-emission modes, annual CO2 emissions would drop by 1,175kg. This, of course, is due to the substituted transport methods such as cargo bikes and e-bikes producing 67.5 times less CO2 pollution than diesel vans in the same scenario.
Mark Sutton’s write-up of the report describes a carbon reduction of 99% over journeys of 5km. He shares, “Assessment of a typical 5km journey returned the finding that a trader travelling 5km each way in a diesel van will produce 2.65kg CO2e. This will reduce to 0.77kg CO2e if using an electric van, a 71% reduction, while if the diesel van was replaced by an electric cargo bike the carbon emissions would drop from 2.65kg to 0.04kg CO2e, a reduction of 99%“
A secondary finding highlights the warm reception of market traders to alternative transportation methods – 90% of all market traders and 57% of all market businesses engaged with the project. From the user-base 80% of participants stated that they were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to use a zero-emission device again thanks to the benefits they experienced.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has welcomed the decision to include a new higher limit for Cargo Bikes in the revised Bike to Work Scheme announced this month as part of the Finance Bill.
The updated scheme sees a subsidy increase to €3,000 for Cargo Bikes – in recognition of their higher initial cost. Previously the available limit was linked to that available for bicycles (€1,250) and electric-assist bicycles (€1,500). Therefore, support for Cargo Bike purchases has now been doubled.
Minister Ryan shared, “This increase will help make cargo bikes more affordable for those choosing to purchase a new bike under the bike-to-work scheme. Cargo bikes have become more popular in recent years with many people using them to bring their kids to school, for shopping and for work purposes as delivery vehicles. The cost factor, however, is an impediment to many people who may want to buy one. We hope that by increasing the limits for cargo bikes, more people will be able to choose them as a more sustainable way to get around.
“We also need to see our courier and delivery companies moving at a faster pace from vans and trucks to cargo bikes and we are looking at ways of supporting this transformation, specifically for the last mile element of their deliveries.
“The coming years will see a re-allocation of road space away from private vehicles towards public transport and space for people walking and cycling and cargo bikes will play a large part in how we use our roads. I look forward to seeing many more cargo bikes on our roads over the coming years, helped by this decision today to make them more affordable.”
The Bike to Work Scheme aims to encourage the public to cycle to and from work. The initiative allows employees to give part of their salary for a bicycle and/or safety equipment, which should be used primarily for travelling to and from work. The purchase is not taxable benefit-in-kind and can be made in any shop.
Currently utilizing micromobility hubs in 20 cities across Europe including London, Munich and Paris, Amazon plans to significantly expand its offering, to the delight of the micromobility industry.
The smaller, central delivery hubs represent a more sustainable last-mile delivery option, allowing packages to be transported via cargo-bike and on foot. In the city center, this allows many issues typical of last-mile logistics to be reduced or negated, including traffic, parking, and fuel costs.
The hubs are one part of a wider €1 billion investment by Amazon to electrify and decarbonize its transport network across the European continent over the next five years.
In relation to the story, Zag Daily discussed the investment with representatives from Zedify, Beryl, and EAV, all of which specialize in the micromobility or cargo-bike sector.
Speaking about Amazon’s move, Rob King, Zedify’s CEO and Co-Founder, told Zag Daily: “Zedify have been utilising microhubs for cargo bike deliveries for many years and it’s hugely exciting to see some of the biggest names in logistics endorsing this model.” “Urban deliveries need to be done better and it is change at this scale that’s going to meet those multiple challenges head on – whether that’s efficiency on cost, cutting emissions or meeting consumer demands.”
Beryl’s CEO Philip Ellis told Zag: “For last mile deliveries or short journeys, the bikes are by far the best and offer the most time efficient way to move large or heavy items, so hopefully Amazon’s expansion will raise their profile even further as a fundamental transport necessity.”
The bikes are operated by a variety of partner businesses, not directly by Amazon. One approved bike supplier is EAV Solutions. “EAV is supporting the adoption of innovative new micromobility based logistics by enabling the change away from legacy operation practices with its ecosystem of urban specific transport solutions,” said Adam Barmby, CEO and Founder of EAV.
The latest market studies by major electric bicycle associations clearly show steady growth in the e-cargo bike sector, which will continue to increase in the coming years. LEVA-EU member Bafang is responding to this with the launch of the M620 mid-engine.
In particular, the segment of heavy, commercially used e-cargo bikes (payload between 500 kg and 1 tonne) give many engineers a headache when choosing the most suitable and sustainable drive concept. Bafang is working intensively to develop solutions to meet the demands placed on these last-mile transport vehicles, which in turn help to meet global requirements for reducing CO2 emissions. Through exchange between the R&D department, users and manufacturers, Bafang has gained knowledge and insights for the effective research and development of its new technical milestone.
Integrated differential, smooth reverse drive function
Bafang has opted for a solution that is specifically aimed at use on chain- or belt-driven heavy-duty tricycles. Bafang creates entire systems that work in synergy for this application, for example, the powerful mid-engine M620, with a new 3-speed automatic gear hub, plus an integrated differential grid, and reverse gear. According to the Chinese manufacturer, these form the ideal system solution in combination with a powerful and reliable mid-mounted motor.
The e-bike rental service Henry Mobility (Berlin), which previously specialized in the commercial sector, is now also aimed at end customers. The subscription service under the name ‘Cycle’ starts in Berlin.
Rad Power Bikes have paired up with Cycle to provide two cargo bikes for the pilot project: Radrunner and Radwagon. The subscription will be priced at EUR 79.90 per month, with a choice between monthly rentals or a cheaper annual contract.
Compared to other cargo bikes, Rad Power’s offering may seem small, but with their robust luggage racks at the front and rear and the high payload of 136 and 156 kilograms, they offer significantly more transport options than conventional bicycles.
Included in the service are maintenance, insurance, and workshop appointments – all available via the smartphone app. Having previously only catered to B2B clients, the service’s launch in Berlin is a new B2C venture, with the potential to expand into additional European cities.
THEO is the name given to a self-driving robot delivery method, or ‘bot-as-a-service trike’, that operates on the bicycle path.
The vehicle was developed in Germany and during testing has delivered its test orders to a closed university site. THEO is primarily designed to undertake fast, same-day delivery of goods and last-mile deliveries by logistics companies.
The robot’s maximum speed is 20 km/h, with a trolley that can carry a maximum of 100 kg, in 8 individual compartments. THEO is 70 cm wide and 168 cm long.
The designers describe THEO as a semi-autonomous trike, optimized for cycle paths. Semi-automatic means that THEO’s actions are monitored from a central control room. “If cycle paths are not available, [the robot] is also fast, light and agile enough to drive on conventional car lanes without causing congestion.”
THEO is registered with Mobilitylab, a partnership between several provinces to get startup pilots off the ground in the field of mobility. The intention is that these startups will test their innovative solution in the regions of Rotterdam, Noord-Brabant, Limburg or Utrecht.
Starting June 27, six cities across south-western Germany are set to host commercial e-cargo bike testing opportunities, promoting uptake among local businesses.
Berlin transport change agency Cargobike.jetzt is behind the operation, offering a variety of LEVs for testing. These include various e-cargo bikes and trailers, supporting up to 200kg of cargo. The scheduled dates and locations are:
Monday, June 27: Ludwigsburg | Rathaushof | 1pm-6pm
Tuesday, June 28: Stuttgart | Karlsplatz | 11am-4pm
Wednesday, June 29: Karlsruhe | Old Slaughterhouse 35 | 12pm-7pm
Thursday, June 30: Darmstadt | HWK Frankfurt-Rhine-Main | 11am-4pm
Friday, July 1st: Mainz | Mewa Arena | 11am-4pm
Saturday, July 2: Wiesbaden | Palace Square | 9am-7pm
Prague remains a key location for cargo bike urban integration, having opened two city center depots. After operating for a sustained period, the success of the scheme can now be evaluated.
Prague’s two cargo bike depots opened in 2020 and 2021 respectively, being recognized by the 2021 Eurocities Awards as a low-carbon alternative to last-mile van delivery. The principal is simple, a van drops off packages at the central depot, which are then delivered across the city via cargo bike. In Prague, hilly terrain leads to a preference for e-cargo bikes, allowing riders to tackle tougher terrain with ease. Thus far, each depot has delivered approximately 7,000 orders per month, with each location housing up to eight companies.
Successful collaboration between public and private sectors
Operating companies pay a small fee to cover depot running costs, and hence, the city administration does not have to contribute a stake in the project outside of the initial construction cost. For a relatively low price, the depot helps to achieve Prague’s long-term vision to promote cycling and change its citizens’ attitudes to this means of transport. The depot also contributes to the city’s pledge to lower its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The project is a good example of cooperation between different actors. The pilot project was approved by the city council based on a study by the Prague Institute of Planning and Development. It took only three months to execute the proposal. Ekolo, the company setting up and running the depot, attributes this success to intense cooperation between the logistics firm and city-run companies.
Domestic firm (Dámejídlo, Zásilkovna, Rohlík or WEDO) and international firms (DHL, Dascher, GLS) both profit from the innovation. Twelve enterprises use the two depots at present, but Adam Scheinherr, mayor’s deputy for transportation, is in talks with companies that could not be accommodated in the first depots. A representative of Ekolo started helping with similar cargo bike projects in London, Copenhagen, and Lille.
Potential to inspire future action and lessons learned
As the largest depots of their kind, Prague’s cargo bike scheme offers both a point of inspiration and a case study from which to learn. Of course, it is commonly accepted that electric cargo bikes are an optimal delivery vehicle; speedy, quiet, low polluting, cheaper, accessible, etc. however, new insight can now be utilized to further improve customer and driver experience.
The key lessons learned for future projects were:
More depots are required: This will minimize driver distance and reduce delivery times.
Unsustainable trends must still be recognized: Overconsumption and the negative impact of deliveries and packaging are still prominent issues for the majority of parcel lifetimes. More localized production is required.
Worker experience must be improved: One recent example concerns an online grocery store, Rohlik.cz, one of the companies using the depot. The firm reduced the couriers’ wages (despite having almost doubled its profit last year), sparking public concern. Other difficulties of this job came to light, namely long working hours, lack of social security, and uncertain wages.
Campaign success
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Member profile
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
