EV Urban Freight in Germany:

Perspectives for Municipalities and Enterprises

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Fuelling the Climate 2014

Clean Urban Freight Solutions

Dominique Sévin (NOW GmbH) | Hamburg | 22/05/2014

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Areas with projects supported by the

German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

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Model Regions Electromobility

65 project networks – 225 partners from business, industry, science & public sector

Main focus on electric buses, commercial vehicles, carsharing and charging infrastructure

4 “Model Regions” – 4 regions with projects – cross-regional technology projects

2,000 electric vehicles operating / 1,500 charging points available (as at December 2013)

Most vehicles in the Model Region of Hamburg

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MO

DE

L R

EG

ION

S

SU

BJE

CT

S A

CC

OM

PA

NY

ING

R

ES

EA

RC

H

JOINT STRATEGY PLATFORM

CENTRAL DATA MONITORING

User perspectives

Fleet management

Innovative drives and vehicles

Safety

Infrastructure

Regional, urban andtransport planning

Regulatory framework

Developed over four years: from platform to

subjects with working groups

Fundamental and strategic discussion in

strategy platform

Integration of partnership structure: industry,

public sector, research, consulting

Coordination: Central Data Monitoring (IVV

Aachen) and Accompanying Research of

Showcases Electromobility (DDI Frankfurt)

Subjects networking and coordinating in

regular meetings

Accompanying Research of Model Regions Electromobility

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Accompanying Research of Model Regions Electromobility

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Subject “Regional, Urban and Transport Planning”

Working group #1: EV Urban Freight Publication in summer 2014

Working group #2: Governance and Strategies Publication in autumn 2014

3 working groups concentrating on current issues concerning the role of cities and

cooperation between administration and companies

Working group #3: Municipal planning tools Survey of 450 city-administrations in spring

2014

Conference in Bremen in February 2014 – Starterset Electromobility – Roadshow 2014

Cooperation with

“German Institute for Urban Studies” and “Planning Department at Stuttgart University”

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Cities – Enabler of Electromobility

Part of a modern urban strategy / “Master-Plan”

Local public transport

Fleet management of local councils

Setting up charging infrastructure

EV urban freight

Private housing & electromobility

E-Carsharing

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Urban commercial traffic in Germany

Great importance for providing a service for the

population for the exchange of goods/services

Strong growth of traffic volume in city centres / increase

of traffic jams

…but has a rather poor image…

Road safety issues / strain of infrastructure / lack of

space

High noise and air pollution (40% of local emissions in

German cities is by freight traffic)

EU: Transport White Paper specifies objective of city

logistics free of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030

45%55%

Freight Traffic

Service & People Traffic

Urban commercial transportation in German cities accounts for

approx. 30-35% of total traffic

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EV urban freight – characteristics and application areas

1) Freight forwarding business

Low potential of use for EV!

Heavy-duty vehicles – long-distance handling

Rapidly growing segment / transporting goods less than 31 kg /

short-distance handling / charging in own depot

2) Parcel, courier and express services

High potential of use for EV!

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EV urban freight – implementation barriers

No sustainable offers provided yet

Higher initial costs / only long-term amortisation

Expensive conversions

Argument of lower consumption seems rather weak due to low

consumption-dependant costs

Ambiguity relating to Total Costs of Ownership

Administrations: Lack of understanding for cost structures and processes

within enterprises complicating targeted funding

Cities fear locational handicap by restricting urban freight traffic with

conventional drives in favour of EV

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Scope of action for local administrations

Establishing working groups with stakeholders to improve ability

e.g. Stuttgart and Hamburg

Offering free-of-charge fleet analyses in addition to support/consulting (route

planning, application areas)

Financial incentives by chambers or state government

e.g. Frankfurt (“Trade goes e-mobile”)

Setting up neutral cargo handling hubs near city centre

e.g. Munich, Dortmund, Mannheim

Civil agreements / urban development contracts

e.g. Mannheim

Establishing delivery zones only for EVs at so-called “Hot Spots”

Extension of delivery times in “sensitive areas” residential areas at nights

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Ability and implementation

Coordination meetings with other cities and local enterprises to avoid

locational handicaps / sufficient political will

Increasing number of EVs in fleets of municipal companies, institutions or

schools adopting pioneering role

Addressing enterprises already boasting an “ecological image” and/or well-

defined environmental objectives

Evaluation of objectives (better image / green-washing / reduction of

emissions etc.)

Seizing the opportunity during purchase decisions: renewal of fleets /

location expansion / new logistic transport chains / restructuring process

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EV urban freight – chances for cities and enterprises

Expanding low emission zones

Improving ecological image

EU: objective of city logistics free of carbon dioxide emissions by2030

Promotion by public tendering

Lower costs on consumption and maintenance

Improving quality of life / less noise / less emissions / less traffic jam

…but there is still much to do to improve circumstances for enterprises

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Thanks for your attention!

Dominique Sévin (NOW GmbH) | Hamburg | 22/05/2014