Evri – formally Hermes UK – has begun a trial of an electronically assisted cargo bike which could drive down final mile carbon emissions by as much as 89%.
The company said it was exploring alternative modes of transport that were kinder to the environment and its trial in East Yorkshire used a bike made from natural fibre composite materials and recycled plastics and metals.
The Evri courier in Driffield is using the vehicle on its usual rounds to ensure a like-for-like comparison.
It said the savings measured so far had been calculated using the fuel saved from not relying on the courier’s vehicle and then adding back the carbon used to generate the electricity to charge the battery, as well as the extra food eaten by the courier to power it.
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Adrian Berry, Evri innovation delivery manager, said: “It is early days as this is one of the first trials into this kind of delivery option but the results look extremely positive.
“Moving forward it may well play a role in our goal to create a network of sustainable delivery options to supplement our current courier model.”
Earlier this month Evri announced a major rebrand, with a name change and the auto-enrolment of its self-employed plus couriers into a company pension scheme.
