Amazon tests delivery with urban-mobility cargo bikes in Freiburg
The US online retailer Amazon has launched another cargo bike logistics project in Freiburg/Breisgau and Hochdorf. This aligns with their commitment to becoming carbon-neutral in all areas of the company by the year 2040, for which they are testing and conducting pilot projects for low-emission deliveries in over 20 European cities. This includes the expansion of the electric delivery fleet and the development of charging infrastructure for operations, but also alternative urban delivery methods in the form of micro hubs in city centers and deliveries with electric cargo bikes, electric scooters, or on foot, as the logistics company further outlines. They hope to both increase the efficiency of deliveries and simultaneously reduce emissions.
The UM bikes feature new technology and recuperation
The electric delivery bikes used in Freiburg City and Hochdorf are equipped with cargo boxes where parcels can be transported. The drivers of the delivery service partners, including the team from veloCARRIER in Tübingen, use them to deliver packages. The parcels delivered by the electric delivery bike from the Upper Bavarian manufacturer Urban Mobility are sorted by route at the Amazon distribution center in Freiburg-Hochdorf and handed over to the delivery partners. Currently, up to 14 e-cargo bikes are being used in Freiburg – seven at the distribution center, which deliver orders in Hochdorf, and seven at Schwabentorring, which service the city center. The bikes feature, among other things, two electric motors on the rear wheels for pedal assistance, tilting technology, recuperation, and a chainless drive via generator.
"Just over a year ago, as a Freiburg city councilor, I held an event titled 'Cargo Bike Instead of Delivery Van!'. This conversation with experts clearly highlighted: Cargo bikes offer an enormous opportunity for Freiburg to relieve the city from delivery traffic," comments Nadyne Saint-Cast, Member of the State Parliament for the Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in Baden-Württemberg.
Micro-Hubs as a Prerequisite for Bicycle Logistics
An important prerequisite from their perspective is inner-city micro hubs where packages are temporarily stored and then delivered via cargo bikes. It is encouraging that a year later, significant progress has been made, and even large logistics companies like Amazon are partially delivering packages with cargo bikes. This clearly shows that electric light vehicles can make a significant contribution to making delivery traffic more environmentally friendly. If the electricity used is green, that would be perfect.
"Low-emission alternative deliveries are a key component of Amazon's goal to achieve carbon neutrality across all business areas by 2040. The e-cargo bikes we introduced in Freiburg (Hochdorf) contribute to reducing emissions and increasing the efficiency of our deliveries by bringing us closer to our customers," said Martin Andersen, Director of Amazon Logistics in Central Europe.
He announced that the use of delivery bikes and micro hubs across Europe would continue to be evaluated, and the delivery fleet would be electrified. Across Europe, various alternative delivery methods are being examined, and numerous local partners are being collaborated with to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. Electric delivery bikes are currently being used in seven German cities, including Dortmund, Essen, Hamburg, Osnabrück, Munich, Stuttgart, and Freiburg. The U.S. logistics company is also working with city administrations across Europe and operates urban micro hubs, such as the one in Dortmund at Ostwall.
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