[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7194\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EElectric bikes and silent trucks to green goods deliveries \u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnown as \u2018last-mile\u2019 deliveries, this system involves the transport of goods and services from a depot in the outskirts to the city centre. They \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.researchandmarkets.com\/reports\/4825296\/europe-last-mile-delivery-market-to-2027\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eare expected to grow by more than 16% annually from 2019 to 2027\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Barcelona, Spain, a project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/646456\u0022\u003EGrowSmarter\u003C\/a\u003E wanted to address the spike in small parcel deliveries resulting from an increase in online shopping. They piloted \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grow-smarter.eu\/fileadmin\/editor-upload\/Smart\/Factsheet_33__Distribution_of_freight__Barcelona.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ea delivery service using electric bikes\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to businesses and consumers in the old town for two years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe old town is a densely-populated area with narrow streets, making it hard for delivery vans to access. Goods can only be delivered by standard vehicles in the morning and at night due to traffic regulations. But bikes aren\u2019t subject to delivery windows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018This combination makes it ideal to do these deliveries with electric bikes,\u2019 said Gonzalo Cabezas, project manager at Barcelona City Council.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDelivery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team worked with a small e-bike delivery company called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.vanapedal.eu\/en\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EVanapedal\u003C\/a\u003E which provided the service. The city council set up a distribution centre at the edge of the old town which Vanapedal could use free of charge. Vans from different shipping services would deposit packages for last-mile delivery by electric bike or tricycle. In return, Vanapedal had to provide business data to help gauge the project\u2019s success.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThree tricycles out of the initial nine bikes used were equipped with sensors to take measurements too. \u2018We installed some equipment that include environmental sensors and there was a geolocation sensor to know exactly where the tricycles are,\u2019 said Cabezas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe trial ended in December and was deemed a success. During the two years, 200,000 packages were delivered\u0026nbsp;and the rate of successful deliveries was 92.7%. Since the service was provided to a pre-defined area, it allowed the delivery people to get to know their main clients and reschedule deliveries at a convenient time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Successful deliveries are higher than from standard providers,\u2019 said Cabezas. \u2018We are quite happy with this solution and it works financially from a business perspective.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere was also a clear environmental impact. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grow-smarter.eu\/fileadmin\/editor-upload\/Smart\/Factsheet_33__Distribution_of_freight__Barcelona.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ECarbon dioxide emissions were reduced by 95.9% and there was a 21.7% reduction in noise\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVanapedal is now continuing with the delivery service and there are also plans to replicate the scheme elsewhere in the city.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut e-bikes aren\u2019t always the best solution. When large quantities of goods are being delivered, vans and trucks are still necessary.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the past decade in Stockholm, Sweden, an increase in delivery trucks due to major construction sites requiring supplies and more people shopping online has contributed to the growing problem of daytime traffic congestion. Spreading out deliveries over 24 hours could help.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022The hybrid truck trialled in Stockholm, Sweden, runs on hydrotreated vegetable oil outside the city and electricity in the centre, and delivered to six restaurants on a single charge. Image credit - Paul Fenton\u0022 height=\u0022800\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/truck-sm.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022The hybrid truck trialled in Stockholm, Sweden, runs on hydrotreated vegetable oil outside the city and electricity in the centre, and delivered to six restaurants on a single charge. Image credit - Paul Fenton\u0022 width=\u00221067\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EThe hybrid truck trialled in Stockholm, Sweden, runs on hydrotreated vegetable oil outside the city and electricity in the centre, and delivered to six restaurants on a single charge. Image credit - Paul Fenton\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENight\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018If you can get trucks delivering at night then there will be much less congestion during the daytime, which is better,\u2019 said Paul Fenton, the site manager of a project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/690699\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ECivitas Eccentric\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDue to noise regulations, heavy lorries aren\u2019t allowed to operate at night.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo overcome this issue, as well as that of pollution, Civitas Eccentric\u0026nbsp;is testing a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/civitas.eu\/content\/night-delivery-clean-and-silent-vehicles\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eplug-in hybrid electric truck\u003C\/a\u003E. It has been granted an exemption to make night deliveries to a few McDonald\u2019s restaurants because it is silent when driving on electric power.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe vehicle, provided by the truck manufacturer Scania, was used during an 8-month trial that ended in August 2019. When driving from a depot outside the city, it ran on biofuel - Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). But when it reached the city centre, which is a low-emissions zone for heavy goods vehicles, it switched to electric power. The truck made deliveries to six restaurants within the city on a single charge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Deliveries got done quicker with less kilometres driven because the vehicle wasn\u2019t stuck in traffic,\u2019 said Fenton. \u2018Also, we were using a cleaner vehicle which is better for air pollution.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESubstantial data was collected to assess the effectiveness of the scheme using environmental sensors on the truck and noise monitors at specific locations on its route. Preliminary results are promising. Nitrogen oxide emissions were slashed by almost 80% while particulate matter emissions, which includes smoke and soot particles, dropped by 28%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe test driver also reported that he preferred to work at night since it was less stressful. It was easier to find a parking space, for example, and the restaurant staff had time to receive deliveries since there were fewer customers at this time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018The more companies that try to make the transition, the more vehicles that will get produced.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EPaul Fenton, Civitas Eccentric\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENoise \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team is keen to analyse the impact of the service on existing background noise. The restaurants are located in areas that are already quite noisy at night so they don\u2019t want to add to it. \u2018I think the data is showing that it\u2019s pretty good,\u2019 said Fenton. \u2018There isn\u2019t a major negative impact because of the deliveries.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFenton thinks there is potential to introduce greener delivery vehicles in other cities too. But alternative fuel vans and trucks are still only available in limited quantities which is an issue when scaling up services. \u2018It\u0027s a little bit chicken and egg,\u2019 said Fenton. \u2018The more companies that try to make the transition, the more vehicles that will get produced.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, concerns about the safety of silent vehicles, which can\u2019t be heard by pedestrians and visually-impaired people, for example, has led to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/growth\/content\/electric-and-hybrid-cars-new-rules-noise-emitting-protect-vulnerable-road-users_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EEU requiring all electric vehicles to have noise-emitting devices\u003C\/a\u003E, which make the sound of a traditional engine, by July 2021. The device must be used when starting up until they reach a speed of 20km\/h and when reversing. Above this speed, the sound of the tyres on the road and wind noise are audible so a warning system isn\u2019t needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is unclear how this will affect the potential for night deliveries. \u2018My hunch is that the noise generated by the sound (device) will probably not exceed the level of background noise in most urban contexts, and therefore not be a big problem,\u2019 said Fenton.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn many cases, new infrastructure such as charging points will have to be put in place too. But trials like this one are helping to assess where drivers would need to plug in their vehicle. If a truckload can be delivered on a single charge, for example, then charging stations would be essential near terminals outside the city centre.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There is a lot of learning involved,\u2019 said Fenton. \u2018You have to test and try to find ways to overcome the barriers.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. 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