Amazon Launches Unique Fleet Of E-Cargo Bikes In The UK

• by E4TP Contributor
• July 21, 2022
• 3 min read

Amazon has added another vehicle type to its electric fleet, this one slightly smaller, a lot easier to drive, and three times as zippy.

Have you spotted any of these e-cargo bikes yet? © Credit to Amazon

Amazon currently has over 1,000 electric delivery vans on the road in the UK, and last year helped the company deliver more than 45 million packages.

After a recent announcement, those numbers could increase even more with the introduction of the UK’s first UK micromobility hub for sustainable deliveries in Central London.

The hub will be the home to e-cargo bikes and walkers, along with Amazon’s already established fleet. With this news, Amazon has also unveiled plans to roll out large scale solar panel installations at facilities based in multiple locations, locations include:

• Manchester
• Coalville
• Haydock
• Bristol
• Milton Keynes

All of these facilities are planned to open before the end of this year. Amazon plans to double the number of on-site energy projects in the UK by 2024 to help power this project.

“Our new e-cargo bikes, walkers and growing electric vehicle delivery fleet will help us make more zero emission customer deliveries than ever before across London and the UK.”
John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon

All of these new initiatives sit within the brand’s Shipment Zero mission — a mission to deliver 50% of Amazon shipments with net-zero carbon by 2030, with the endgame being net-zero by 2040 which is 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

The popular delivery empire has worked extensively with the London Borough of Hackney to bring this new hub to life. The current plan is to let the e-cargo bikes and walkers handle a lot of the jobs that were originally handled by traditional van trips.

“Industry and Government are both working hard to achieve our net zero goals and support the growth of sustainable transport that will help create economic opportunities and support thousands of jobs across the UK,” said Transport Minister, Trudy Harrison.

“Amazon’s plans will not only boost green job opportunities, but ensure that customers will continue to receive their packages while working to protect our planet from climate change.”

Here’s what the Energy Minister, Greg Hands, had to say about the announcement:

“It is great to see Amazon taking the lead in moving away from expensive fossil fuels. This is a fantastic vote of confidence from Amazon in British energy security, renewables and electric vehicles, and a huge boon for green jobs across the UK.”

This news aligns with a recent announcement eight of the 12 European early-stage start-ups for the Amazon launchpad Sustainability Accelerator are from the UK.

The accelerator is designed to support entrepreneurs who are building greener businesses.

What next Amazon? A fleet of sustainability e-scooters? What do you make of Amazon’s plans to run micromobility hubs around the UK, and where would you like to see the next hub? Leave us a comment via social media.

E4TP Contributor

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