LONDON : UPS said on Friday it was trying out a four-wheeled"eQuad" electric cargo bike for deliveries in densely packed urban areas, where bikes have better and easier access, to complement its push into electric vehicles.
As well as making public commitments to cut their carbon footprints, package-delivery companies are seeking new ways to cut the cost of last-mile deliveries amid soaring e-commerce orders. The vehicle is only 36 inches wide, so can legally use bike lanes and enter pedestrian zones that UPS' vans and trucks cannot access. Under normal circumstances, drivers would have to get out of their vehicles, load packages on carts and haul them to customers.
"There are more and more opportunities for zero-emission solutions like this that can alleviate inner-city congestion," Wake said while demonstrating the eQuad at a UPS package facility in London."It can also help our operations be more efficient at the same time."