As part of its sustainability programme, Estonian postal operator Omniva is going to add e-cargo-bikes to its delivery fleet. The first five Vok Bikes machines are about to go into operation.

Omniva has taken some small steps to reduce its carbon emissions already through the addition of solar panels to one of its logistics centres and, as of March this year it has been using electric cars for some of its deliveries.

Kristi Unt, member of the Omniva Management Board said, “We have decided to focus on providing our services in an environmentally friendly manner and are taking gradual steps towards this goal. This spring and summer, couriers are going to deliver shipments on 15 new electric bikes in various regions of Estonia,!” said Unt. “Vok Bikes are fast, efficient, and well suited for providing our postal services in densely populated areas. We are planning to expand the use of electric bicycles in the future.”

The Vok e-cargo-bikes are to be used in six cities across Estonia. With a limited top speed of 25km/h, they have a range of up to 100km per charge and have cargo containers at the back to carry goods for deliveries. The postal operator claims that with its delivery staff using e-cargo-bikes instead of delivering on foot, they can do 15% more deliveries per round than on foot. The machines can also get closer to addresses otherwise inaccessible by car.

The first e-cargo-bike was trialled by Omniva last year. ß“The initial experience of using an electric bike for providing services in a densely populated area is positive, so we decided to introduce the bikes gradually: first, in cities, but later, perhaps also in smaller cities and towns,” added Jaan Lisitski, Head of Logistics and Transport at Omniva. “The advantage of using a bike in densely populated areas with a lot of traffic is the ease and convenience of access to buildings and manoeuvrability. Our couriers are enthusiastic about using electrical cargo bikes, so there is no shortage of willing users!”