GERMANY
Berlin laundry MEWA has trialled the delivery of its work clothing to its customers in Berlin with electric cargo bikes. The trial showed, said the company, that going electric on the last delivery mile saves up to 60% of CO2 emissions compared to pure truck delivery.
The work clothing is driven from the MEWA laundry in Groß Kienitz, about 30 kilometres away, and delivered to a collection point in the centre of Berlin. From there, electrically powered cargo bikes complete the onward journey to the customer.
The study, which has been running since the summer of last year, brings MEWA another step closer to its goal of completely climate-neutral distribution.
Kay Simon, head of mobility concepts at MEWA said: "The new pickup and delivery service is very successful and our customers love it. The e-cargo bike has the flexibility of a bicycle with the capacity and durability of a delivery van, making it ideal for urban areas. In busy inner cities, it is usually the last mile to the customer that has the most environmental and logistical problems, especially where it is difficult for our truck drivers to find a place to unload or where there is no direct access."
