Following the results of a pilot in the Netherlands, IKEA has said it wants to scale up its use of solar-powered cargo bikes around the world.
The well-known Swedish retailer says that during its pilot, it used solar-powered cargo bikes to deliver goods to customers within the city centre around its store in Delft. The pilot has now been evaluated positively, and IKEA says it wants to “scale up and give all IKEA retailers around the world the possibility to add a more sustainable, accessible and cost-effective alternative to their home delivery fleet within their market.”
“This bike can accommodate roughly 90 per cent of the IKEA product range and emits 98 per cent less CO2 than modern diesel vans. For IKEA, it’s important to explore new ways to improve the service offer for the customers, both from a more sustainable, affordable and accessible perspective. The solar-powered cargo bike does all that”, says Helene Davidsson, Sustainability Manager, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Davidson added:
“We want to meet more people, and many of our future customers will live in cities with limited access to transportation. This challenge provides a great opportunity to explore new ways of making our products available. The solar-powered cargo bike will be a valuable addition to last-mile service, as it offers a quiet, emission-free alternative that can also bypass traffic congestion.”
Published by: Peter Maďoran
