Register of Initiatives in Pedal Powered Logistics - RIPPL #41 The RIPPL blog continues at the website RIPPL.BIKE |
The Low Impact City Logistics e-trailer in London traffic. Photo credit: G Fonne |
How the e-trailer achieves this ‘weightlessness’ is down to its ability to regulate speed so that, when on the move, it is always going at the same speed as the bike. It does this by using its motor to either add or remove energy from the wheels, based on feedback from a coupling which constantly senses the distance between the bike and e-trailer.
The coupling senses the speed of the bike and feeds this back to the motor. Photo still from Skotkonung video: "UPS Low Impact City Logistics Trial". |
Low Impact City Logistics as a project however, is not just about development of innovative bike-trailer technology. The aim is to design a complete system which will provide more efficient ways to provide door to door delivery services to cities, with a particular focus on the last mile. The project is also looking at methods by which packages can be loaded at depots (to get rid, for example, of double handling) all directed by innovative distribution software. A trial period of the systems involved ran in Camden, London, in November and December 2017, further details from which will be available later on this year.
A UPS liveried e-trailer is recharged. Photo credit: G Fonne |
Testing under way at Outspoken! Delivery. Photo credit: Outspoken! Delivery |
Project: Low Impact City Logistics
Organisations: Fernhay, Outspoken! Delivery, Skotkonung, UPS and Huddersfield University.
City: London
Country: UK
Basis: Pilot
Sources:
London Evening Standard: “Parcel delivery firm UPS trials environmentally-friendly bike trailers to replace diesel trucks in central London”
UPS: “Innovative ‘depot-to-door’ system reduces traffic congestion and carbon emissions”
Post & Parcel: “Electric-powered delivery trailers to be trialled in London”
That’s Cambridge: “A New Form Of Cargo Transport” (Video)
Skotkonung: "UPS Low Impact City Logistics Trial" (Video)
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