Competitor Watch
Parcel delivery firm DPD Group has started using environmentally friendly bikes designed by Oxford-based EAV in London.
EAV said Project 1 (P1), its new last-mile delivery vehicle - an electric-assisted, cargo, peddle bike, was designed in partnership with London creative lab, New Territory.
The quiet, four-wheeled vehicle is peddled and steered like a traditional bike. It also has an electric motor, which kicks in to assist the driver.
It can reach speeds of approximately 20mph, is narrow enough to fit down a cycle path and can hold six cargo containers.
Nigel Gordon-Stewart, managing director at EAV Cargo, said: ‘There has to be a cultural change in the way we all think about transport and its effect on our environment.
‘At EAV we firmly believe that you could replace nearly all internal, combustion engine vehicles and even heavy electric vehicles in urban and rural environments with pedal-assist equivalents that still retain all the features, enjoyment and comforts of the vehicles we’re culturally used to.’
Dwain McDonald, CEO at DPD Group UK, said: ‘Our aim is to be the most responsible city centre delivery company, which means neutralising our carbon footprint and developing smarter, cleaner and more sustainable parcel delivery services.
‘Not only does the P1 look amazing, it is also incredibly smart, flexible and future-proofed. As a result, the P1 is perfect for UK city centres.’
Neutralising carbon
In March, we conducted our first-ever trial of zero-emission e-trikes for letter and parcel deliveries. As a further example of our continued efforts to reduce CO2 emissions associated with our operations, we are conducting trials in Stratford (East London), Cambridge and Sutton Coldfield.
As a business, we are committed to making changes to our operations to reduce our environmental impact, whilst ensuring we continue to meet customer expectations. Emissions are an important issue and we are constantly looking at new and innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
Our ambition is to move to a low-carbon fleet and ensure that we are investing in a fleet that meets future legislation.
