The number of light commercial vehicles (LCV) in cities is growing, which puts increasing pressure on the liveability of cities. Small electric freight vehicles and cargo bikes can offer a solution, as they take less space, can manoeuvre easily and free from polluting emissions. Within the two-year LEVV-LOGIC project, (2016-2018) the use of light electric freight vehicles (LEFVs) for city logistics is explored. The project combines expertise on logistics, vehicle design, charging infrastructure and business modelling to find the optimal concept. This paper presents guidelines for the design of LEFV based on the standardized rolling container (length 800 mm, width 640 mm, height 1600 mm) and for the charging infrastructure.
To realize a more sustainable city logistics system the focus should go beyond reducing emissions only. Next to zero emission vehicles, reduction of urban logistics trips is required in light of several urban, environmental and economic challenges. This contribution focuses on the role of hubs and decoupling points, where logistics flows to and from a city are decoupled from the flows in a city, to optimize the city logistics. For six distinctive hubs or decoupling point concepts, we examine the potential under current market and legal conditions. By decomposing city logistics in subsegments and urban logistics trip structures, we estimate the realistic trip reduction potential of decouple points in the current city logistics conditions.
MULTIFILE
The number of light commercial vehicles (LCV) in cities is growing, which puts increasing pressure on the livability of cities. Freight vehicles are large contributors to polluting air and CO2 emissions and generate problems in terms of safety, noise and loss of public space. Small electric freight vehicles and cargo bikes can offer a solution, as they take less space, can maneuver easily and do not emit local pollution. There is an increasing interest in these vehicle, called light electric freight vehicles (LEFV’s), among logistic service providers in European cities. However, various technical and operational challenges impede large scale implementation. Within the two-year LEVV-LOGIC project, (2016-2018) the use of LEFV’s for city logistics is explored. The project combines expertise on logistics, vehicle design, charging infrastructure and business modelling to find the optimal concept in which LEFV’s can be a financial competitive alternative for conventional freight vehicles. This contribution to EVS30 will present the project’s first year results, showing the guideline for and the applied design of LEFV for future urban city logistics.
