Tag Archive: delivery

  1. Electric bikes and e-scooters represent a large share of the UK’s hot food deliveries

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    Source: Cycling Industry News, IAM RoadSmart

    Research conducted in the UK has revealed that deliveries of hot food are increasingly being made via e-bike and e-scooter. The study authors highlight that road safety considerations should be factored into restaurants’ business priorities.

    The study, The gig economy: How can we reduce risk? was conducted by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, with 208 UK restaurants taking part in the research. Restaurants that offer the options of ordering via food app, takeaway, or dining in see almost half of all orders (45%) being made on via the apps. 31% of orderers dining in, and 24% choosing the takeaway option.

    Delivery mode choices

    The restaurants were asked about what vehicle types are used for food delivery orders, and were able to select more than one option, revealing that there is no standard approach, particularly with third-party apps in the decision-making mix for delivery modes. E-bikes were stated as a delivery mode in 48% of responses, and e-scooters at 33%. Motorbikes and mopeds were the top vehicle choice at 62%, and cars next at 52%, while traditional pedal bikes came in at 26%.

    Road safety concerns

    IAM RoadSmart expresses concern in the study about the high numbers of e-bikes and e-scooters reported by restaurants in the delivery statistics.

    Regarding e-bikes, the report states: “While the use of e-bikes is legal, there is mounting evidence of these being illegally modified to increase their speed and power,” reflecting broader concerns about the gig economy, which have been widely discussed in the UK. “The nature of the delivery sector prioritising efficient delivery means the sector is far more prone to illegally modified e-bikes being used by workers.”

    Regarding deliveries by e-scooter, the report states: “The use of private e-scooters remains illegal for use on public roads, which means that unless the riders are using rented scooters within a trial area, they will be breaking the law to deliver food to people’s homes and offices. Some workers may well be doing this without understanding they are offending, and this raises further questions about how the UK and Devolved Governments approach micromobility legislation.”

  2. Deliver-E Coalition aims to scale up zero-emission food and grocery deliveries

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    Source: UN Environment Programme

    A group of the world’s major food and grocery delivery platforms have together launched the Deliver-E Coalition, which aims to accelerate the shift to zero-emission deliveries on two- and three-wheeler vehicles, on a global basis.

    The coalition’s founding members – Delivery Hero, DoorDash, iFood, Mr D, Swiggy, Uber, Wolt, and Zomato – between them operate across 96 countries, undertaking an estimated 6 billion deliveries on two- and three-wheeler vehicles each year.

    The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will host the Coalition Secretariat, providing assistance for research, administrative and communications functions. Associated partners of the Deliver-E Coalition are philanthropic platform ClimateWorks Foundation, the Government of the Netherlands, and e-commerce tech services provider Prosus.

    The Coalition’s founding Charter states intentions to “dramatically speed up the implementation of zero-emission deliveries by shifting to electric vehicles, bicycles and other means of zero-emission two- and three-wheeler deliveries, thereby unlocking economic, social, and environmental benefits for all stakeholders and the wider society.”

    Why the industry has decided to act

    The way that consumers around the world behave has shifted in recent years, with e-commerce sales in 43 countries in 2021 seeing a 15% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. These amplified doorstep deliveries translate into greater operational pressures, both on cities, and on the businesses delivering the goods ordered online. A  United Nations assessment indicates that, without any changes to the management of last-mile logistics, urban delivery emissions would increase by over 30% in the top 100 cities globally.

    This pressure would in turn lead to an increase in traffic congestion (approximately 14%), raise healthcare costs (approximately 12%), and add around five minutes to daily commutes. Other research from the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicates that deliveries could account for 50% of the transport sector’s emissions in cities by 2030.

    Consumer pressure is also pushing for the switch to zero-emissions delivery. The WEF research includes independent assessments which show that over 70% of shoppers prefer sustainable delivery options.

    The benefits of switching to zero-emission two- and three-wheelers

    A range of benefits can be achieved through a transition to zero-emission options, compared to internal-combustion two-wheelers.

    • Last-mile delivery costs reduced by around one quarter
    • Emissions cut by almost 90%
    • Reduced urban air and noise pollution
    • Jobs creation in fields including vehicle servicing, charging infrastructure deployment, and fleet management

    Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division, made a statement about the coalition’s creation. “Deliver-E is industry leadership in action. Zero-emission two and three-wheeler vehicles are ready to scale: they are cleaner, quieter, and increasingly cost-effective. Through Deliver-E, companies will share what works and move faster together than any one company could alone.”

    The coalition’s collaborative approach

    The Deliver-E Charter outlines the creation of “a platform for knowledge exchange” in which members can “share learnings and expertise for an industry-wide electrification effort.” The Charter goes on to pledge the establishment of “a network of experts and essential stakeholders in the ecosystem, such as policy makers, technology companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), fleet aggregators and financiers,” while “supporting solutions to commonly identified barriers that prevent the vision from becoming commonplace.”

  3. CAKE and Volta Trucks join forces to provide world’s first electric microhub for last-mile deliveries

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    LEVA-EU member CAKE and Volta Trucks have announced a joint initiative for providing global fashion giant the H&M Group with fully integrated, electric deliveries to its customers in Paris. Starting in February, the H&M Group will be able to deliver its orders all the way from the warehouses to the door of the customer, leveraging an unparalleled, efficient combination of electric trucks and electric two-wheelers. Tailored for future urban logistics, this solution aims to have a minimum impact on the city environment.

    “As a majority of today’s last-mile delivery chains will soon be banned in many of the world’s largest cities, H&M seeks to engage in future-proof solutions already now. This will enable for contributions of lower emissions and less congestion, while benefiting from far more efficient deliveries all the way to the end customer, paving the way for both healthier cities and business advantages,” says Stefan Ytterborn, founder and CEO, CAKE.

    Rolling hubs, and couriers on two wheels

    CAKE and Volta Trucks were both founded to tackle the modern challenges of transportation. Coming from two different vehicle platforms, yet sharing the same objectives, the integration of the two technologies offers immediate opportunities for e-commerce and the fast-growing delivery industry, now on its way to meeting game-changing laws and regulations globally.

    Volta Trucks, whose vehicles are electric trucks with industry-standard loading capacity, has developed a design that offers emission-free transportation and enhanced safety in urban environments. Allowed to pass through future city borders, the electric trucks make the perfect vessel for carrying full loads of parcels, and harbour in central locations while parcels are delivered last-mile by a set of CAKE bikes reaching the customers fast, without impacting the traffic, or struggling with parking.

    “We’ve designed the full-electric Volta Zero to be the cleanest, safest and most efficient urban delivery vehicle. Most of our customers are using trucks to deliver from out-of-town warehouses to inner-city stores. But as a forward-thinking brand, we’ve always sought innovative partners to deliver new and industry-redefining solutions. The partnership between Volta Trucks, CAKE and H&M Group will showcase how a combination of zero tailpipe emission transport solutions can bring benefits to brands, customers, and city centre environments.” says Essa Al-Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks.

    “An important part of our approach is to work openly and closely with partners, including to reduce emissions throughout our value chain. Initiatives like those with Volta Trucks and Cake help us advance our sustainability goals faster than we could on our own and have a positive impact in leading the transformation to a better fashion future. This starts with improving sustainability performance in our own operations and demonstrating the resilience of a sustainable business direction”, Paul Ticehurst, H&M Group Logistics Transport Lead.

    Paris leads the way

    Paris is one of the first cities in the world to regulate city transportation in favour of congestion and the climate. The French capital is targeting a late 2023 introduction of legislation, effectively limiting the movement of cars in its city centre. CAKE electric mopeds and motorcycles will be exempt from the ban that is expected to remove approximately 100,000 cars from the streets each day. Additionally, two-wheelers using combustion engines will by September 1st be subject to parking fees, while electric alternatives continue to enjoy free parking on Paris streets.

  4. A robot on bike paths? The next generation of last-mile delivery solutions

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    Source: Fietsberaad

    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.

    (Image: Fietsberaad)

  5. Autonomous robot trialled for last-mile deliveries in Helsinki

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    Electric parcel delivery robot will do the rounds for 1 month

    Source: TheMayor.eu and Forum Virium Helsinki

    Facing a growing population and increasing logistics challenges, the City of Helsinki has opted for a truly modern solution. The people of Jätkäsaari district will enjoy the opportunity to collect their packages from an autonomous and environmentally-friendly electric delivery robot, as part of a trial scheme lasting from November 2 to December 10 2021.

    The city has an innovation company called Forum Virium Helsinki, which has teamed up with the start-up LMAD, GIM Robotics, and DB Schenker, to find out how an autonomous delivery robot can facilitate improvements to urban logistics. It is specifically the area of last-mile delivery which presents the most challenges, and opportunities.

    As for the practical delivery of the service, customers simply select DB Schenker and the LMAD robot when placing an order. Much like any other courier service, they will receive a link for setting their delivery preferences, and at this point they choose their preferred time and location from a set route. When the robot arrives at that spot, it sends a code to the recipient, who can then unlock and collect the package.

    Antti Jarva, who is in charge of DB Schenker’s package business in Finland said, “DB Schenker is actively involved in the innovation of the logistics industry. In Finland, we have developed package pick-up points in particular to facilitate smooth flows of goods to various residential environments. We study the use of delivery robots as one pick-up point solution for densely populated urban areas”.

    LMAD is the company who operates the robot. Co-founder and Product Lead Gergely Horváth said, “For us, this is an excellent opportunity to test an autonomous delivery service with the residents of Jätkäsaari. We want to learn how our solution brings additional value to both residents and our partner, DB Schenker. Our aim is to offer a service that is a convenient, flexible and environmentally friendly option while simultaneously reducing logistics costs”.

    During the pilot, the robot is accompanied by an operator who ensures safe and smooth execution. Moving at walking speed, it employs sophisticated sensors and lidar technology, to observe and react to its surroundings, and stop for any obstacles.

    Photo credit: Forum Virium Helsinki

  6. Eskuta leading the way in UK home food delivery

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    As reported in Business Ready, a business support service from Warwick City Council, LEVA-EU member Eskuta has become the UK’s market-leading e-cargo vehicle manufacturer and supplier. The company, which manufactures electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs), and e-scooters, has secured lucrative delivery contracts with companies such as Domino’s and Just Eat.

    Thanks in part to support from the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020, Eskuta has been able to expand and increase capacity with a second unit at their Warwicksire location. With 14 staff on board and 2,500 orders on the books last year, the company expects numbers to continue to grow.

    Eskuta’s range has proven to be particularly attractive to the fast-food delivery sector, and the brand is now supplying electric bikes for delivery services for big name convenience store company, Booker. Other high profile partnerships include an agreement to sell Eskuta products through 24 Apple stores in the UK and Ireland, and the exploration of international opportunities with distributor deals signed in Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

    The company has been going from strength to strength, especially following initial support from University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Ready programme, a fully funded programme that delivers customised support to tech-based organisations looking to grow and scale.

    Eskuta’s Managing Director Ian O’Connor said, “I started the business after becoming disillusioned with the fashion industry and discovered e-bikes and e-scooters when I was over in China and believed there was the potential for a business here…It’s been hard work to get to where we are today…and Business Ready have been a huge help.

    We’re growing and the possibilities of where we can go next are huge. We’re now the market leader for e-cargo vehicles, working with the likes of Just Eat, Domino’s, Papa Johns, Subway and Dixy Chicken.

    Grocery deliveries is another area of the market with huge potential, then there’s international and the consumer market too. We believe this has the potential to be a real success story for the area.”

    And Cllr Kam Kaur, portfolio holder for economy and place at Warwickshire County Council which runs the business centres, added: “One of the many benefits for companies based in our buildings is that they are at the heart of a fantastically well-connected community…

    As the Transforming Nuneaton programme gathers pace, I’m delighted to hear of businesses in that area prospering. Offering high-quality employment opportunities in the area is key to the programme and I hope that Eskuta’s is just one of many success stories in the area in the months to come.”