Ikea delivers sustainably using cargo bikes and river boats

After a successful test in the Netherlands, Ikea will start delivering orders worldwide with cargo bikes equipped with solar panels. Along with a French test to use boat deliveries, the Swedish chain wants to make solutions for the last mile more sustainable.

Emission-free alternative

During the past year, Ikea tested the Sunrider cargo bike from Dutch manufacturer Need The Globe in Delft. This electric cargo bike is equipped with solar panels, making it a particularly sustainable option for the last mile: it is a quiet and emission-free alternative that bypasses traffic jams.

The cargo bike has a volume of 1 cubic metres and can accommodate a Europallet. “This Sunrider bike can accommodate roughly 90 % of the IKEA product range and emits 98 % less CO2 than modern diesel vans. For IKEA, it is important to explore new ways to improve the service offer for the customers, both from a more sustainable, affordable and accessible perspective”, Sustainability Manager Helene Davidsson explains. She sees the bicycle as a solution for the many Ikea customers living in city centres, with limited access to transport.

After evaluating the test, Ikea franchiser Inter Ikea Systems has decided to scale up the project globally: all Ikea retailers will have the opportunity to add this option in their market.

French test with boats

At the same time, Ikea’s French branch is testing the viability of delivering orders by boat in Paris. The low-carbon logistics solution is completed with a last-mile delivery per electric bike, Charged Retail reports.

According to Ikea estimates, deliveries by boats on the river Seine would cut the amount of kilometres driven by lorries in the French capital by as much as 300,000 per year. “Developing river transport is not an option but a necessity for the City of Paris and we will encourage each project going in this direction”, Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan added.