Home Business Amazon Launches eCargo Bike Delivery in UK

Amazon Launches eCargo Bike Delivery in UK

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Amazon U.K. is expanding its fleet of pedal-assisted e-cargo bikes as part of its aim to make 5 million deliveries into central London each year, despite record fuel prices and increasing limitations on commercial deliveries into congested metropolitan areas.

eCargo Bike is Launched by Amazon for delivery

Amazon said it is hoping to extend the initiative nationally using a combination mix of bikes, walkers, and completely electric vans in a blog post announcing the debut of the latest tool under its “micro mobility hub” strategy in response to a number of current difficulties and long-term organizational goals.

On Sunday, July 3, Amazon U.K. Country Manager John Boumphrey wrote on his LinkedIn page that “e-cargo bikes directly replace thousands of traditional van trips on London’s roads and reduce traffic congestion.” He added that the bikes would help the company significantly advance its goal of delivering half of its shipments using zero-emission methods by 2030.

Together, the new e-cargo bikes, according to Boumphrey, would enable the business to “do more zero emission customer deliveries across London and the UK than ever before.”

Future Steps

In addition to directly replacing millions of traditional van trips each year, Amazon claims that its micro-mobility hub strategy will also remove thousands of conventional gas-powered vans from the road nationwide, where it already delivers 45 million packages in some other, environmentally friendly way.

The business announced that it will be opening more e-cargo hubs across the nation in the upcoming months and that it would be significantly increasing its investment in solar energy, which is required to charge its expanding and diverse fleet of electric cars. However, no specifics were given.

The business also emphasized that it has started to go electric in other aspects of its transportation network, including the debut of its first-ever fully electric heavy trucks in the U.K. in March, as consumers and governments demand more sustainable service from the industry leader in e-commerce.

Mete Coban, a local councilor, stated, “We’re particularly glad to have worked with Amazon to enable them to take traditional vans off the streets and replace them with e-cargo bikes.” She cited the advantages of better urban air quality and fewer traffic on city streets.

Last-mile substitutes

To be fair, Amazon’s e-cargo bikes are not the only action that retailers are taking in reaction to record gasoline costs and significant supply chain issues that are making it more challenging and expensive to complete the final mile of delivery in dwindling amounts of time.

As an illustration, Walmart declared in May that it will be extending its drone delivery service to 4 million homes across six states.

In May, when the expanded drone program was announced, Walmart U.S. Senior Vice President of Innovation and Automation David Guggina said, “While we initially thought customers would use the service for emergency items, we’re finding they use it for its sheer convenience, like a quick fix for a weeknight meal.” Guggina pointed to purchases of last-minute meal prep items like Hamburger Helper as being among the most common types of drone-delivered purchases being made.

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