Swedish retail giant Ikea has introduced solar-powered cargo bikes to its last-mile delivery service.
The Sunrider bike can accommodate around 90% of Ikea’s product range and emits 98% less CO2 than modern diesel vans, according to the company.
For the last two years, Ikea retailers have been running electric trucks for home delivery services. Now, the Ikea franchisor adds a more sustainable alternative home delivery transport solution with its new cargo bikes.
Following a year-long pilot at the Ikea store in Delft, The Netherlands, the worldwide Ikea franchisor (Inter Ikea Systems B.V) is now giving all its retailers globally the possibility to add this more sustainable and cost-effective vehicle to their home delivery fleets.
“Having an entrepreneurial spirit and being curious is part of the Ikea DNA,” Heléne Davidsson, Sustainability Manager, Inter Ikea Systems B.V, told Zag Daily.
“Since togetherness is always more impactful than working alone, we often seek collaborations where we together try to find innovative solutions. The SunRider is the result of that, and has the potential to be a valuable addition to last-mile service for Ikea, as it offers a quiet, emission-free alternative that can also bypass traffic congestion.”
Ikea is working hard to find new logistic and customer fulfilment solutions that can respond to increased e-commerce in urban environments, while also being climate friendly.
The cargo bike solution forms part of a wider goal of Ikea’s to become climate positive by 2030 by reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than the chain emits.
