There are tonnes of good ideas that can change the world. Regular readers of RESET will already know of a few. Every month, we will choose one idea that stands out thanks to its impact and innovative approach. Our favourite project in February: Velogista.
Intelligent transport systems will play a central role in the cities of the future to help ease a city’s impact on the planet as well as keep vehicle and human traffic light. Transporting goods within the city can be a real problem, though. One solution to this is having goods carted around by bicycle couriers however, many think that bicycles aren’t capable of carrying heavier cargo. Well, think again. In urban spots, cargo bikes could be the delivery service of the future – clean, cheap and green.
In Berlin, Germany, a number of passengers hop on to the saddle for the courier company Velogista and transport heavy loads from A to B. The company uses electro-bikes that can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h and each bike is fitted out with a container on the back that can carry up to 250 kg. The company’s customers and drivers can even be part of a cooperative. Deliveries are cheaper, drivers are trained, paid fairly and can participate in company decisions.
The project ‘Ich ersetze ein Auto’ (I replace a car) undertook a study whereby the use and applicability of electro cargo bikes in inner city goods transport was analysed. According to the study ”Due to the dominance of small Gutgrößen and the short distances travelled in the urban courier market, electric cargo bicycles are predestined to replace car trips and thereby help bring about a climate-friendly courier market. About 42 percent of the jobs carried out by vehicles with internal combustion engines…could be substituted with electric cargo bikes.”
This means good things for our climate, couriers and city residents – thumbs up!
This article was translated, in part, from the original article written by Hanadi on our German platform.