Optimization of Urban Delivery Systems Based on Electric Assisted Cargo Bikes with Modular Battery Size, Taking into Account the Service Requirements and the Specific Operational Context

Giuseppe Aiello, Salvatore Quaranta, Antonella Certa and Rosalinda Inguanta
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Giuseppe Aiello: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Salvatore Quaranta: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Antonella Certa: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Rosalinda Inguanta: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: The implementation of new forms of urban mobility is a fundamental challenge for improving the performance of city logistic systems in terms of efficiency and sustainability. For such purposes, the exploitation of electric vehicles is currently being investigated as an alternative to traditional internal combustion engines. In particular, the employment of lightweight electric cargo bikes is seen as an attractive possibility for designing improved city distribution systems. Such vehicles, however, present substantial limitations related to their endurance, speed, power, and recharging times; therefore, their configuration must be optimized considering the actual operational context and the specific characteristics of the service operated. This paper proposes the employment of modular electric cargo bikes for urban parcel delivery, with the possibility of customizing some features of the vehicle in order to optimize the performance of the system. This research initially focuses on the design of the modular vehicle and subsequently on the selection of the best configuration through a multi criteria decision method. A numerical application demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach proposed by analysing different design options and determining the most efficient solution in a specific context.

Keywords: city logistics; last mile distribution; electric cargo bikes; modular design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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