After testing a Mubea eCargo prototype in regular courier, express and parcels operations in Leipzig last month, Hermes has announced it will continue testing of the vehicles. It was deployed in the Mockau and Eutritzsch districts in Leipzig, and transported an average of almost 70 shipments per day.
For the tests, the vehicle was stationed in a Hermes delivery base in the centre of Leipzig. The pedelec has a range of up to 100km and is designed for daily use in the courier, express and parcel (CEP) area with a payload of 335kg and a loading capacity of up to two cubic metres. The eCargo bike was used to deliver around 70 shipments per day on average during the test period.
The bike is part of a broader sustainability effort by Hermes in Leipzig, a campaign centred around its Kabelsketal logistics centre which was opened in 2019. Due to the usage of electric bikes and vans, every fifth Hermes delivery in Leipzig is emission-free. The company state that this prevents the emission of 57 tonnes of CO2 per year.
“Our conclusion is very positive,” explained, Thomas Breunig, who accompanied the test as Manager Last Mile at Hermes Germany in the Leipzig region. “You can tell immediately that the pedelec comes from a manufacturer with automotive know-how and that a lot of work has been put into it. The body is very good and thanks to the suspension it is possible to drive smoothly and quickly even on bumpy roads. During the entire test period, the responsible engineer from the manufacturer was on site and was available as a contact person for suggestions for improvement and tips. You look very meticulously here to see how the prototype can be further optimized for the CEP industry.
“Leipzig is currently the fastest growing city in Germany. The traffic situation is correspondingly tense, which brings challenges such as the shortage of parking spaces, high vehicle volumes and time access restrictions. That is why we are in constant contact with manufacturers of alternative vehicle models that offer some advantages over classic vans in densely populated areas and still hold large quantities of shipments.”
Source: Hermes
