The Dutch Climate Agreement stipulates that 30 to 40 larger cities should have medium-sized zero-emission zones for city logistics by 2025. That should yield 1 Megaton of CO2. That may affect 40,000 trucks and more than 250,000 delivery vans. Even if there are enough affordable electric vehicles on the market in the coming years, is such a generic measure fair?Most city logistics is done with light commercial vans. Two-thirds of the nearly 1 million vans in the Netherlands are registered in the name of a company with fewer than 10 employees or a private individual. They often drive an older, second-hand, and third-hand van that is 10 to 15 years old. Not really good for the air quality. Will the zero-emission zones significantly impact these companies? Do they have the necessary financial resources to invest in electric vehicles? Do they get a contract with a bank or leasing company? Additionally, electric vehicles require significant investments by municipalities in charging infrastructure. Most of those vans are parked on the streets.
What is fair? More than half of CO2 in city logistics comes from heavy trucks. This will also apply to the energy requirements of those trucks and the future charging infrastructure. A debate is needed to determine whether we should first make the 40,000 trucks, which run daily in the 30 to 40 larger cities, zero-emission instead of all light commercial vehicles. Which investments will yield the most CO2 savings?
Zero-emission zones are not a goal in themselves. The bottom line is less CO2 from ‘well-to-wheel’. This requires a sector-by-sector approach to both smarter and cleaner city logistics. From that zero-emission agenda, well-considered choices can be made for measures that we will not regret later.
Municipalities should consider vulnerable groups when designing their generic zero-emission zoning plans. Customization is needed for a cleaner and in the long term a fully electric fleet. Municipalities can learn lessons from, for example, Amsterdam’s experiences with electric taxis, including the proper use of subsidies, privileges at boarding points, the installation of charging infrastructure in strategic locations, cooperation with the sector, and optimal timing. Just locking off the city is not a smart move. There is a devilish dilemma between the financial capacity of smaller companies and the need for a level playing field for all companies. What is fair?
Walther Ploos van Amstel.
Professor in Citylogistics – Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences