Comparing the Use of Small Sized Electric Vehicles with Diesel Vans on City Logistics

Melo, Sandra; Baptista, Patrícia; Costa, Álvaro

doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.728

Cited by 30 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…For that purpose, a case study in the city of Porto, Portugal, was developed to estimate the effects of replacing vans by cargo bikes to deliver parcels at a pre-defined limited spatial coverage. This research follows previous works from authors [3,10,11], that had already identified that the geographical scope of the implementation of light electric commercial vehicles is not the city level, but rather specific areas within the city with maximum linear distances close to 2 km. Starting from that assumption and because at that spatial level of analysis and the observed delivery patterns allowed it to be carried out using cargo bikes, with a replacement rate of 1:1, this paper tried to understand if the current focus and investment that is being promoted by public policies in this type of vehicles can actually promote the public good interests and private stakeholders' efficiency and in what conditions can it be implemented.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…Such boundary is also conditioned by the geographical range of movements, already defined in previous research for this area as a maximum of 2 km of linear distance [10]. The fact that electric cargo bikes can replace up to 10% of conventional vans movements within delimited areas in the city suggest that tailor-made solutions for urban logistics can be promoted by specific mobility policies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Additionally, the network can only accommodate a limited number of electric cargo bikes due to its intrinsic physical characteristics in order to guarantee the same supply reliability and traffic performance within the area. Melo [10] identified a limit of up to 5% of conventional vans that could be replaced by SEV's at the city level, without causing relevant traffic disturbances and operational restrictions. Policy makers must be aware of these boundaries in order to promote effective sustainable mobility policies in a realistic and successful way.…”

Section: State Of the Artmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research carried out by authors in this topic has addressed the impact of using small electric commercial vehicles [3,10,11]. These studies have defined that light electric vehicles (SEV) could replace up to 5% of the vans within the overall city area and its best geographical coverage was limited to a unit with 12 to 30 blocks, which corresponds to a maximum linear distance of about 2000 m. Authors also analyzed how varying replacement rates could assure the same delivery capacity within that limited area and concluded that small electric commercial vehicles were economically competitive (not considering purchasing and battery issues) with conventional vans with a replacement rate of 1:1.…”

Section: Study Domain and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of light electric vehicles for urban logistics purposes, namely small electric four wheel vehicles, has already been approached by the authors in previous works [3,10,11]. Along that research, it was demonstrated that light commercial vehicles are appropriate as a niche of market complimentary to conventional vans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the impacts of using cargo cycles on urban logistics: integrating traffic, environmental and operational boundaries

Melo

Baptista

2017

Eur. Transp. Res. Rev.

Self Cite

126

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Introduction European Commission has promoted actions and policies with the aim of reducing the negative impacts on traffic and environment caused by city logistics. One increasingly popular measure is the use of cargo bikes in city logistics due to their improved energy efficiency, lower emissions and lower traffic disturbance. The paper assess the impacts of electric cargo bikes, from a public policy perspective and, simultaneously, taking into account variables that cover the urban logistics operators' interests. Under a public policy perspective, the considered variables evaluate mobility, environmental impacts and indirectly, the quality of life. In terms of private interests, the studied variables cover costs levels (operation and driving) and efficiency. This evaluation aims at clarifying if electric cargo bikes can indeed represent a sustainable mobility policy under specific boundaries, by leading to better environmental and social impacts and not hindering the operational efficiency of urban logistics activities. Methods For that purpose, the measurement of the traffic key performance indicators, as well as of Well-to-Wheel energy and CO 2 emission savings is performed allowing to quantify mobility, reliability and operational efficiency indicators. Several scenarios related with the introduction of electric cargo bikes replacing conventional vans were assessed and evaluated in order to compare the effects of different market shares in the mobility of the studied area located in Porto (Portugal). Acknowledging the short distance range of cargo bikes, the simulation is carried out and an estimation of the total transportation cost is performed, which includes transport and emission cost when the vehicle is driving, emission cost while idling and labor cost. Results The main conclusion is that cargo bikes can replace up to 10% of the conventional vans in areas with maximum linear distances of about 2 km, without changing the overall network efficiency. Additionally, urban logistics WTW CO 2 emission impacts can be reduced by up to 73%, which represents 746 kg of CO 2 avoided emissions. Furthermore, the introduction of electric cargo bikes in urban logistics activities has positive effects for all the vehicle categories and all the scenarios, reaching up to 25% of reductions in external costs. Conclusions As a result, cargo bikes implemented at the appropriate spatial scale within the city can be a sustainable solution for urban logistics, depending on a prior delimitation of the conditions and adequate implementation strategy, to guarantee that it actually leads to improvements in terms of mobility, environment, energy, running costs and externalities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: State Of the Artmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Domain and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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