Ikea has been introducing electric trucks for deliveries over the past couple of years; but, after a pilot programme in The Netherlands, the furniture retailer is now hoping to add a new sustainable vehicle to its fleet.
Solar-powered cargo bikes were trialled as a low impact alternative for local deliveries near the Ikea store in Delft. “This Sunrider bike can accommodate roughly 90 percent of the Ikea product range and emits 98 percent less CO2 than modern diesel vans,” explained Helene Davidsson, who is the Sustainability Manager of Inter IKEA Systems B.V. She added that the trial was driven by a desire to make deliveries more accessible, cost-effective and sustainable for customers living near a store - city-dwellers who might not have a car.
“We want to meet more people, and many of our future customers will live in cities with limited access to transportation. This challenge provides a great opportunity to explore new ways of making our products available. The solar-powered cargo bike will be a valuable addition to last-mile service, as it offers a quiet, emission-free alternative that can also bypass traffic congestion,” Davidsson stated.
The solar bikes are part of a wider bid by Ikea to become climate positive by 2030
