Zalando tests electric deliveries in Hamburg

Zalando is testing the delivery of parcels with electric vehicles in Hamburg. For the test, which is initially limited to three months, Zalando is using electric vehicles powered by green electricity from Mercedes, Nissan, Renault and a micro delivery vehicle from Ari Motors.

A total of 24 Zalando-branded electric vehicles will be on the road in the northern German city during the test, as the online retailer writes in a press release. This is a separate same-day delivery service for “Zalando Plus” customers. At random, other customers in Hamburg also receive same-day delivery as a “Silent Upgrade”. Zalando expects “several hundred parcels a day” to be delivered between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in an environmentally friendly manner.

For the project, Zalando is working with various logistics partners whose drivers are responsible for parcel delivery in the city area. However, the online retailer is responsible for planning and providing the charging infrastructure. In the test, delivery entrepreneurs will also be able to test “various models and operational processes for the use of e-mobility over the last mile”.

“Zalando is working on developing sustainable solutions for logistics,” says Christian Scheffler, Director Zalando Premium Logistics. “With over 600 charging stations in the city area, the Hanseatic city (Hamburg) is an ideal place to test climate-friendly logistics concepts with our logistics partners.”

The majority of the electric fleet will consist of the eVito, Mercedes will provide a total of 15 electric transporters for the test via its own “Mercedes-Benz Van Rental” service. This was announced by the carmaker in a separate announcement. Zalando themselves made no statements about the models. But on the published pictures you can see that Nissan is the e-NV200 and Renault the Kangoo Z.E.. The Ari Motors 458 is a micro transporter offered in four different sizes.

zalando.com, daimler.com (German)