UPS test electric cargo bikes throughout Switzerland

UPS has revealed it is going through the process of testing an “electrically supported” cargo bike to carry out deliveries and collections of parcels and packages in downtown Basel, Switzerland. UPS has said it is “exploring the economic and ecological viability of this alternative mode of transportation for city-centre delivery over a period of four weeks.”

While the company already uses battery powered cargo bikes in Hamburg, Germany, the new battery-supported tricycle has the ability to carry a weight of up to 150kg. Its compact design enables it to be “ideally suited for inner-city” usage.

Philip Healey, Marketing Manager for UPS Switzerland, has said: “By using cargo bikes in a targeted manner, UPS aims to reduce inner-city congestion, noise and emissions.” Healey continued: “This form of urban delivery also offers a distinct advantage to UPS itself, as it reduces the time spent on searching for a suitable parking position, saving valuable items.”