Amazon has set an ambitious goal to completely decarbonize its delivery fleet and is working with manufacturers to create purpose-built electric delivery vehicles.
Last week at its Delivering the Future event in London, Amazon unveiled a range of electric vehicles designed to get packages to customers as quickly as possible and in a range of urban environments.
These include large electric vans and new electric mopeds, electric cargo bikes and even a pushcart.
Amazon has already deployed more than 30,000 electric vans delivering to customers in cities around the world.
Amazon recently announced a partnership with Rivian and ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans.
But Amazon recognises the fact that access to customers in different parts of the world can vary rapidly.
Not every residence can be accessed by a large van or truck which is why Amazon has collaborated to create new and smaller delivery vehicles it can fit into tighter spaces to allow faster delivery to customers living in apartment blocks and other densely populated areas.
ELECTRIC CARGO BIKE
Created in conjunction with Mubea, the electric cargo bike has a capacity to carry up to 250kg inside the two cubic metre container.
Tech Guide got a chance to ride the electric cargo bike, which is powered by batteries that can offer up to 25 km range per charge.
Once the rider engages the pedals, the electric motor kicks in and makes it easy to get up to a top speed of 25 km/h.
This vehicle was custom made with Mubea and is designed to be used in bike lanes and other pedestrian areas to deliver orders to Amazon customers in areas not usually accessible by larger vans.
These electric cargo bikes are likely to be seen in the UK, Germany, the US (especially in New York City and Washington DC), along with Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria.
ELECTRIC MOPED
The electric moped has a cargo capacity of up to 1,600 litres and can run for up to 100 km on a single charge.
It has a top speed of up to 45 km/h and has a weatherproof roof with wipers, a rear view camera and remote central locking.
It can fit in a space a metre wide, which makes it ideal for delivery in historic areas with narrow streets.
Users are most likely to see the electric moped in Italy and Spain.
PUSHCART
The pushcart has been made with recycled materials and will pack flat and be stored in a delivery van if needed.
The pushcart has a capacity to hold up to 100 kg of packaging with a cargo volume of 700 L, which is about the same size as two standard Amazon logistics bags.
It is being used in 14 European countries including the UK, Spain, France, and Germany.
The pushcart is made from recycled plastic materials.
* Stephen Fenech travel to London as a guest of Amazon
