What is the future of urban logistics?

Today, in-land logistics are mainly done by trucks that are no longer compatible with the urban landscape in terms of congestion and pollution. With consumers showing a preference for brands that work to reduce their impact on the environment, environmentally friendly delivery is a growing imperative. One solution rapidly spreading across Europe is decentralised logistics, where shipments are first collected in hubs, warehouses and large distribution centers outside the city center. Then, goods can be delivered to smaller distributution centers or micro consolidation centers inside the city, where compact vehicles can collect and deliver goods to customers. In this respect, electric and human-powered vehicles are of increasing importance to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly delivery within cities. On the other hand, the integration of AI and autonomous vehicles for deliveries between major hubs and local distribution centers will further optimise urban logistics (e.g. AI drones and independent delivery robots). Lastly, optimised urban logistics enables a mixed use of vehicles, avoiding (half) empty vehicles driving around. Check out our relevant products: whereas Vonzu offers a SaaS to optimise routes, the Inclusive eBike and FS-E offer sustainable compact vehicles for last-mile deliveries.