Consumer delivery company Evri (formerly Hermes UK) has announced it is to trial pedal-powered electric vehicles, such as cargo bikes, with sustainable last-mile company Zedify.
The trial is taking place in Bristol in the UK to explore the impact on efficiency and carbon emissions, as well as the effect on reducing congestion and creating quieter, safer streets and more liveable cities.
The companies have reported that early data from the trial shows a 13% increase in efficiency, plus a 98% reduction in carbon in the final mile when delivered by bike compared to a traditional van delivery, aided by an increase in volume. The estimated carbon saving figure in the final mile would be 62kg of CO2e per week.
Carl Lyon, chief operating officer at Evri, commented, “We’re exploring innovative delivery partnerships like this to see how they can play a role in our goal to create a network of sustainable delivery options to complement our current courier model. We already have the lowest carbon emission of any dedicated parcel delivery company and one of our company targets for the year is to introduce alternative zero-emission transport methods in our final mile. We’re excited by what we’ve seen so far and look forward to the results of this and other trials.”
James Nellist, chief operating officer at Zedify, said, “We’re thrilled to be supporting Evri on their sustainability journey. It’s fantastic to see a leading parcel carrier embracing an innovative approach to sustainable urban logistics. Zedify offers a genuine, scalable alternative to diesel vans and EVs in cities; as demonstrated by this trial, it’s not only the dramatic cuts in emissions that stand to be gained, but with a 13% increase in productivity, cargo bikes are proving they can keep last-mile costs under control, too. We look forward to expanding the partnership into our network of UK cities, to achieve even greater efficiencies for Evri and their customers.”