Prague is something of a pioneer when it comes to developing depots serving electric cargo bikes for local deliveries. Every day, several hundred orders are delivered in an environmentally friendly way.
Many big cities are seeing a growing number of parcel delivery services using cargo bikes, a solution with zero CO2 emissions, unlike the vans that are typically used for local deliveries.
In 2020, Prague decided to try out this system by opening a first delivery depot for electric cargo bikes in the city center. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, home orders soared, so it was decided to open this type of depot, on a former parking lot, to fulfill short, so-called 'last-mile' deliveries. Today, it is proving a real success, and a second depot has even opened since.
The principle of the depot is simple. Vans come and drop off the parcels, which will then be distributed throughout the surrounding area by cargo bike. Many companies have been present on the site since its launch, both regional and international (DHL is perhaps the best known).
In exchange for a kind of rent, each company has its own container. The depot also offers a number of amenities to delivery personnel, including changing room facilities, showers and even a kitchen area. Today, each of these depots hosts up to eight companies, fulfilling a total of about 7,000 orders each month.
Cargo bikes have many advantages. They are fast, quiet and non-polluting. This project evidently forms part of a wider policy to promote cycling, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions in the Czech city by 45% by 2030, before reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.
Similar projects are being studied in London and Copenhagen.
See also: The US Postal Service is testing mail delivery by electric cargo bike and when it comes to deliveries, cargo bikes help cut congestion in US cities.
