Freight transport emits around a quarter of CO2, and 25% to 50% of NOx and fine particles, with colossal health costs (asthma, allergies, death). It is also a major contributor to road congestion (traffic and parking during deliveries), and generates accidents and noise that cost the community a great deal of money.

 

Freight transport therefore has a significant environmental, health and social impact, particularly in urban areas. Reducing this impact means finding "soft" delivery solutions.

Gentle-mode delivery is a solution for cleaner, more sustainable urban logistics thanks to innovative practices and vehicles, of which there are four main types: electric vehicles, CNG, bicycles and cargo-cycles. Electric trucks are currently only used for urban and suburban deliveries, and are gradually replacing the diesel-powered LCVs that make up the vast majority of vehicles used in cities.
These vehicles emit no greenhouse gases, and their electric motors produce little noise pollution.
This so-called "soft" delivery mode is currently limited to small vehicles, as current battery technology does not allow enough on-board power. Medium-tonnage vehicles are still at the experimental stage.

Hybrid trucks consume less diesel and thus reduce their CO2 emissions, but their extra cost is a brake on their development.

Companies with large delivery volumes have turned more to alternative fuels such as CNG (City Natural Gas).
This innovative fuel has ecological, health and economic advantages: it reduces CO2 and fine particle emissions, produces half the noise of diesel engines, costs 50% less at the pump than gasoline on average, offers greater range, and can be adapted to all vehicle fleets.
However, its development requires substantial financial investment to adapt trucks to this fuel and create gas "service stations".

To make cities greener, old-fashioned delivery methods are making a comeback, such as bicycles and their derivatives. Cyclo-delivery is a symbol ofeco-mobility and respect for the environment.

In this case, a postal-type bike is used, equipped with large panniers to carry parcels equivalent to mail. Couriers use fast bikes with backpacks or two-wheelers.

For larger parcels, it's possible to use a three-wheeler (with a box in the front or back); the most widely used means of clean parcel delivery is the cargo-cycle, which can hold up to 2m3 of goods.

These modes of "goods cycling" are silent, reduce air pollution, limit urban congestion and are authorized in pedestrian zones.

The adoption of these various solutions to reduce the environmental, health and social impact of urban logistics, not forgetting improvements ineco-driving, will enable companies to respond to demands for participation in the collective effort to improve our environment and our health. It remains to be seen whether consumers will be willing to pay the additional costs and often longer lead times.