After placing an order earlier in the year, delivery firm DPD have now got their first ten e-cargo bikes from EAV and are already using the specially designed quadricycles in the UK.
EAV launch the Project 1 four-wheeled e-cargo bike for last mile deliveries
We first reported on the launch of EAV's e-cargo machines for last mile deliveries back in April, and now five of the P1 models are already on UK streets being trialled in London, York and Newbury. The other five are out at DPD's UK business units in Ireland, Spain, Germany, Portugal and France to help support British manufacturing and exporting abroad.
DPD and EAV have now released much more info about the bikes, telling us they measure 2m long by 1m wide and weighing in at 75kg with a load-carrying capacity of 120kg (not including the rider/driver). They're also EU-legal to use without a licence with a 250 watt motor and a 25km/h cut-off limit, with a range of up to 100km - DPD estimate that's about 100 parcel stops, and when the bike needs recharging it can be done so with a normal 13amp, 240v plug socket.
The bike's body is made from advanced composites with the fascia impressively being made from a composite strengthened with hemp fibres, which is itself stuck together with a resin based on the oil from cashew nut shells!
The vehicle is part of DPD's ambition to become "the most responsible city centre delivery company and the leader in electric vehicles in the UK". The firm also opened the UK's first electric-only parcel depot in Westminster in October 2018, and aim to have a fleet of 500 electric vehicles by the end of 2020.
DPD CEO Dwain McDonald said: “The P1 is an absolutely amazing vehicle and we are immensely proud to be technical partners alongside EAV on this unique project. This is an entirely new type of vehicle and is designed specifically to meet the current challenges for delivery firms in the urban environment.
“The early trials show that the P1 is performing really well and clearly has the potential to be more efficient for us than traditional vans in certain locations. It is highly manoeuvrable, can carry a good day’s worth of parcels and can often get closer to delivery addresses than the vans.
“We’re on a journey with EVs and as usual, we are ahead of the pack. But it is uncharted territory, and the reality is that we are going to need to invest in new and different types of vehicles to solve new and different challenges. We know that the environment and climate change matter more than ever to our clients and the feedback we get when we share our EV vision with them is really positive.”
DPD recently sent a White Paper out calling on vehicle manufacturers, energy providers, national and local Government to start working together to tackle the barriers holding back more widespread EV adoption and investment - it's good to see such a large firm taking environmental issues seriously, and we hope others follow!
