Vienna launches initiative for zero-emission commercial transport

As part of “Zero Emission Transport”, the participating companies have committed to driving into the first and second districts of Vienna without tailpipe emissions. According to the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, a number of participating companies are already able to operate without tailpipe emissions while others can currently only complete part of their journies emission free. The aim of the project is for all participating companies to achieve a 100 per cent quota by converting their vehicle fleets over the three-year duration of the pilot project.

Walter Ruck, President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, said that the flexible and innovative companies in Vienna will be able to make use of opportunities offered by the green economy: “And the business community also wants to contribute to Vienna’s climate neutrality. Commercial transport is an important component of this.”

Ruck explained that the pilot project aims to highlight both the opportunities and the challenges of emission-free delivery traffic in Vienna as well as supporting the city’s companies in their efforts to decarbonize.

For charging with clean energy, the pilot project is flanked by the offer from energy supplier Wien Energie to install charging points in charging zones of the participants’ choice. “This improvement in the charging infrastructure and the role model effect of the participants on the way to a clean city should also inspire other companies to join ‘Zero Emission Transport’,” says the Chamber of Commerce.

The project is being scientifically supported by the University of Applied Sciences of the BFI Vienna. The researchers aim to identify challenges and optimization potential and to pass these on to the participating companies. In addition, the data obtained from “Zero Emission Transport” will also form the basis for the further development of climate-neutral commercial transport in Vienna.

Peter Umundum, Director of Parcel & Logistics, Austrian Post AG, comments on the project as follows: “In Graz, Innsbruck and Salzburg, we have already successfully demonstrated that CO2-free delivery in cities is possible. That’s why we are supporting the important Zero Emission Transport initiative and continuing to drive forward green logistics in Vienna as well. By the end of 2024, we want to convert our delivery fleet in the first and second districts so that we can deliver all parcels, letters, print media and direct mail items on the last mile CO2-free. By the end of 2025, we will even deliver CO2-free throughout Vienna.”

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