DPD Germany is expanding its fleet of alternative delivery vehicles with eight fully electric tricycles manufactured for parcel deliveries in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.
The so-called TRIPL vehicles from Danish manufacturer EWII are emission-free and make deliveries in metropolitan areas much more efficient. TRIPL scooters can usually drive right up to the customer’s front door without any problems which eliminates the need for suitable parking spaces or stopping zones in the city centre, as it is the case with conventional vehicles.
"Delivery in the city centre is one of the biggest challenges for parcel providers like DPD," Gerd Seber, Group Manager Sustainability & Innovation at DPD Germany, explained. "While parcel volumes are growing rapidly, inner-city traffic is also growing. This is where our TRIPLs can help, because they make much faster progress on narrow and congested inner-city streets than our conventional delivery vans. The emission-free electric drive of the TRIPL not only reduces traffic but also helps to conserve the environment".
In Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne, DPD is using the TRIPL for inner-city delivery rounds with a high stop density, where only one or two parcels are delivered per stop. This is particularly the case for parcels to private consignees, who generally also receive smaller packages than business consignees. The TRIPL can make more stops per hour in tight urban areas than a conventional van and really comes into its own when there are only short distances between stops.
Due to its compact size and the locally emission-free electric drive, the TRIPL is also suitable for parcel deliveries where there are access restrictions for conventional vans – for example in pedestrian zones or other traffic-restricted areas. In future, the TRIPLs could also be helpful within the context of imminent driving bans in the city centre. However, the TRIPL is not viable as a complete replacement for conventional vans. Due to its range and transport volume limitations it can only be used for selected, particularly suitable delivery routes.
With a loading volume of 200 kg and 750 litres, the TRIPL can transport up to 50 small parcels, depending on the size. The charging capacity of the TRIPL battery is sufficient for urban delivery rounds of 80-100 km, while its maximum speed is 45 km/h. During a delivery round, the TRIPL delivery driver may have to load up the tricycle with parcels several times. For this purpose, the tricycle either docks with a conventional van or is loaded up with parcels again at a micro-depot. Micro-depots are small transshipment points located directly in the urban delivery area. They are supplied with parcels in the morning by truck or van, while distribution in the delivery area is then carried out by smaller vehicles – for example by transport bikes or with the TRIPL.
DPD relies on a mix of different concepts and vehicles to enable emission-free parcel deliveries in inner cities. For example, the company is currently significantly expanding its deliveries by cargo bikes, which are already in use in Hamburg, Heilbronn and Nuremberg. The service will start in Berlin during the next few days, with further cities such as Munich, Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg and Rostock to follow in the course of the year.
The use of electrically assisted transport bikes involves a prior analysis of suitable delivery areas, as well as the development of an individual logistics concept for the individual city. As a rule, the transport bikes have to be supplied by centrally located micro-depots. "The search for suitable and affordable space in the city centre represents a decisive obstacle to the use of transport bikes and other small vehicles. We would like even more support from cities and municipalities in this respect. We hope that positive examples like those in Nuremberg, Berlin or Rostock will find more imitators,” Seber said.
DPD is also testing pre-production models of the VW e-Crafter in Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart. The VW e-Crafter is the first fully electric model in DPD's preferred vehicle class. The van's lithium-ion battery is fully integrated in the underbody, so that the Crafter's 10.7 cubic meter load volume can be fully utilised. Depending on the version, the maximum payload is between 1.0 and 1.75 tonnes. The vehicle thus has all the prerequisites for serving suitable delivery routes in urban areas with similar productivity to conventional vehicles – even for delivery to business consignees who receive significantly more parcels per stop than private consumers.
Meanwhile, GLS Germany is also testing the TRIPL tricycle in Dortmund. With the depot being only 3km away from the city centre, the TRIPL returns to the depot at least once a day to reload parcels. During the trial phase, GLS is optimising the deployment of the tricycle for the ideal number of stops and delivered packages. The vehicle is fully recharged in the depot at night.
