DACHSER to supply Prague via pedelec

In doing so, DACHSER is building on the existing, valuable experience with alternative delivery methods for the last mile that the logistics provider has already gained in major European cities such as Paris, Malaga and Stuttgart. In the pilot project in the Czech Republic, the use of an electrically supported cargo bike is being tested under real traffic conditions in Prague - in preparation for future restrictions on delivery traffic in the city centre.

As a globally operating logistics provider headquartered in Germany, DACHSER continually adapts its processes and services to the latest developments and to social and demographic change. One of the driving factors is currently the enormous increase in traffic in large cities and the associated environmental impact and reduction in the quality of life for residents. Cities react with restrictions entering the inner city, for example with older diesel vehicles.

"DACHSER's central Research & Development department analyses alternative drive concepts for vehicles and proposes new delivery concepts for zero-emission deliveries in the field of city logistics," reports Jan Pihar, Managing Director European Logistics DACHSER Czech Republic. He continues: "For this reason, we as a company have extensive experience with the use of electric cargo bikes in many European cities, so the decision to also launch a pilot project in Prague was an obvious one - even if the city has not yet imposed any entry restrictions".

Preparation for "DACHSER Emission-Free Delivery"

In the pilot phase of the project, DACHSER is planning to supply the pedestrian zones in the Prague 1 district. Every morning, trucks bring the day's deliveries from DACHSER's Kladno branch, some 30 km west of Prague, to the Micro-Hub Depot.Bike near the city centre. The deliveries are then individually delivered by the electrically supported load bike.

In later phases, the concept is expected to be gradually extended to the city districts of Prague 4, Prague 5 and Prague 7 - supported by electric trucks for heavy and bulky pallet shipments. The main recipients of these deliveries will probably be fashion stores, pharmacies and medical supplies stores, as well as DIY stores. "Gradually replacing small conventional delivery vehicles is a sustainable solution to relieve traffic in Prague and improve the smog problem. We would like to make an active contribution to this as part of our corporate strategy," Pihar continued.

DACHSER will use an electic cargo bike from the company Velotaxi Bring. The cargo bike has a loading space of 0.4 loading metres and can thus carry a load equivalent to a euro pallet loaded to a height of 1.2 m and a maximum weight of 250 kg. Initially, the bike will only be used to deliver shipments packed in cartons, but in the future the company also plans to use pallets that are gradually unpacked along the delivery route. Ideally, these initiatives will culminate in a "DACHSER Emission-Free Delivery" zone for the area concerned, in which various types of vehicles are integrated into an intelligent overall concept. The pilot project will be continuously evaluated together with the operator of the micro-hub, an e-bike specialist called ekolo.cz, and in cooperation with TSK Prague (Technical Road Administration) and the Prague Institute for Planning and Development. The first results are expected after six months in practical operation.