Last-mile logistics has become a major challenge both for transport companies and for cities, which have to find the best compromise between efficiency, pollution reduction and the sharing of public space. The collaborative DECARBOMILEinitiative is designed to help the last-mile green logistics sector evolve.
Led by a consortium of 31 partners from 10 European countries and funded to the tune of 7.9 million euros by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program (more specifically HORIZON 2.5 Climate, Energy and Mobility), this project will be rolled out in 4 pilot cities (Logroño-Spain, Nantes-France, Hamburg-Germany and Istanbul-Turkey).
Over a period of 4 years (from September 2022 to August 2026) and with a total budget of 9.5 million euros, these cities will apply the systems and solutions proposed by the program's participants, in order to define the most suitable and scalable solutions for a low-carbon last mile. 4 satellite cities (Tallinn-Estonia, Getafe-Spain, Ghent-Belgium and Sarajevo-Bosnia-Herzegovina) will be involved on a smaller scale to test and study the proposed solutions according to their needs.
The five key pillars of the project are :
1️⃣ a collaborative partnership ;
2️⃣ a sustainable economy ;
3️⃣ urban optimization ;
4️⃣ digital collaboration ;
5️⃣ regulatory compliance.
DECARBOMILE intends to develop interoperable, multimodal vehicles for last-mile delivery in urban areas, in particular by optimizing logistics vehicles.
As a designer of solutions for cyclelogistics, FlexiModal has joined this initiative, supported by the ID4MOBILITYcompetitiveness cluster, in order to develop and test in real-life conditions its TricyLift cargo-bike as well as its micro-containerization solutions adapted around the European pallet format, currently under development.
In addition to its role as designer, FlexiModal supervises the equipment development work unit. In this sense, FlexiModal is fully involved in monitoring meetings and the progress of its project partners within the group.
This European project has enabled us to structure our R&D department with two engineers dedicated to the development of this innovative cargo bike, which aims to democratize cycling. The TricyLift will enter the test phase in 2024. Fully integrating the containerization principle found in other collaborative projects, the TricyLift is positioned as a forward-looking solution for urban logistics.
Containerization, on the other hand, frees hauliers from the additional trnasloading of the last mile. By containerizing the goods upstream of transport to a defined catchment area, the micro-container can be moved from one vehicle to another without the goods having to be broken up again. This saves time and makes urban delivery by bike more efficient.
The TricyLift is a three-wheeled cargo-bike with a comfortable, truck-like seat and a so-called pendulum seat (steering is provided by the body rather than the arms). Equipped with optional rain protection, it offers driving pleasure combined with physical comfort. To enable containerization, the TricyLift can be separated into two distinct elements: the seat on one side and the frame on the other. The frame incorporates FlexiModal's patented Lift&Go technology, which enables a load of up to 200 kg to be lifted from the ground in 10 seconds. The micro-container (on wheels for easier handling in the warehouse and on the last meter) is then picked up by the cargo-bike in a simple and intuitive way for delivery to the city center. The TricyLift solution is self-mounted and, when stationary, doesn't need a stand, making it even more efficient for the delivery driver.
To enable users to take full advantage of its optimization capabilities, infrastructures and practices will have to evolve to enable efficient, low-carbon logistics. This must take into account the reasonable limits of the bicycle, ensuring that it can use cycle lanes and maintain the advantage of cyclelogistics. This is what the DECARBOMILE project is aiming for by 2026!
Decarbomile : Five keys to decarbonize the last mile logistics