Digitalisation and eCommerce have changed the make-up of what is being delivered. The volume of parcels is growing rapidly. The number of small parcels with individual delivery addresses is increasing the most in the delivery mix. Last mile logistics are so complicated that the final leg often accounts for about half the cost of a package’s entire journey.

Meanwhile, urban populations continue to grow. By 2030, almost 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Traffic congestion, noise and air pollution are pressing problems, calling for safer, greener, more efficient solutions for delivery of post and goods.

Paxster is specifically designed for last-mile distribution of goods – that is, delivery from a transportation hub to a final destination in the home. Produced in Norway, the vehicle can withstand rough road and weather conditions. The small size of the vehicle makes it efficient in traffic and easy to park. Its small environmental footprint makes it an ideal delivery vehicle for cities.

Approximately 2.3 metres long, Paxster has a payload of 240 kg, a range of 78-141 km, and a maximum speed of 45 or 60 km/h.

Paxster is a semi-open vehicle with a front windscreen and roof, but no doors, allowing the driver to move quickly in and out, with the parcel always in reach in front of the driver. This enables delivery companies to cover a larger geographical area with the same amount of human resources in an environment-friendly manner.

In addition to environmental benefits, the all-electric, emission-free Paxster also offers economic benefits, including lower electricity consumption than larger electric parcel delivery vehicles. This will help to reduce the total cost of ownership, which is of interest to companies with a large vehicle fleet. Moreover, the vehicle is ergonomically designed to reduce “wear and tear” on delivery personnel, which could lower sick-leave rates.

Using Paxster, last mile parcel delivery services can also cultivate a green image as an early adopter of clean technology.

The global courier, express and parcel delivery market was estimated at some USD 372 billion in 2019, and will continue to grow rapidly. Given that last-mile distribution’s share of total delivery cost is large, electric vehicles designed specifically for this purpose will be very attractive.

In addition, countries across Europe are banning petrol and diesel cars in city centres, moving the market further towards adoption of emission-free delivery vehicles.