Shift2Zero

Acronym:  Shift2Zero
Title: Shifting to zero-emission logistics with right-sized, mission-focused, N1 eLCVs

Why is there a mismatch between current small commercial vehicles and the demand for efficient, environmentally friendly solutions? 
There is a gap between supply and demand in the market for small commercial vehicles (N1 LCVs) due to several reasons:

• Slow adoption of e-LCVs: In 2023, 1.2M new Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were diesel-powered, while only 108,200 were battery-electric, indicating a clear gap in the adoption of electrical LCVs.
• Lack of mission-specific vehicle designs: Most Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) focus on general-purpose vehicles rather than mission-specific solutions for urban logistics. The OEMs involved in the project include IVECO SPA, Alkè Electric Vehicles, and Paxster AS.
• Operational inefficiencies in last-mile logistics: Last-mile logistics, the final stage of delivery from a distribution hub to the end customer, are often inefficient and can account for a significant portion of the total logistics cost. These inefficiencies can be due to different factors like the use of oversized vehicles, lack of energy-efficient solutions and unforeseeable circumstances like urban congestions.
• New emission regulations: Expanding Low-Emission Zones (LEZs), new EU vehicle standards (Euro 7), and urban access restrictions drive the demand for zero-emission solutions, but available eLCVs are often too costly or not optimized for specific logistics needs. 
   

How will the Shift2Zero project address this?
Shift2Zero is built on a strong industry-academia collaboration and takes a user- and mission-centric approach to design zero-emission LCVs that are tailored to meet the specific needs of urban logistics, it will:

• Co-develop six innovative e-LCV concepts tailored to key urban logistics sectors like e-commerce, cold chain (temperature-controlled deliveries), and dual-use transport of people and goods.
• Enhance vehicle efficiency and sustainability through optimized designs, such as adaptable cargo spaces with eutectic evaporators and movable panels for dynamic temperature zones, new control strategies that optimize energy management and driving efficiency, and bi-directional charging capabilities that enable eLCVs to supply energy back to the grid.
• Test solutions across six pilot sites in Belgium, Greece, Italy, Norway, and Poland with logistics operators to validate real-life performance.
• Integrate vehicles into advanced logistics systems for smarter and more efficient delivery networks, leveraging:
  •    Physical Internet (PI): As an open global logistics system founded on physical, digital, and operational interconnectivity through encapsulation, standardized interfaces, and protocols. This enables seamless, efficient freight movement across multiple logistics providers and transport modes.
  •    Synchromodal Logistics: As a real-time, dynamic extension of the existing intermodal transport by including real-time re-routing to adapt to disturbances, infrastructure constraints, and customer requirements, ensuring optimal transport efficiency.
• Support market adoption by ensuring the vehicles are cost-effective, scalable, and compliant with regulatory requirements. 
   

What role does VUB play in the Shift2Zero consortium, and what are some of its key contributions?
MOBILISE leads the work package focused on defining user- and mission-centric vehicle requirements for zero-emission LCVs for urban and suburban logistics and freight mobility. MOBILISE will bridge its expertise in city logistics and transport modelling through different key contributions:

• Defining user- and mission-centric needs – Conducting stakeholder engagement, choice-experiment surveys, and user trade-off analysis to inform the vehicle design.
• Ensuring user-centricity – Coordinating and integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives, crucial in urban logistics. This specifically includes operators using e-LCVs, such as drivers, who are often overlooked in vehicle design but whose insights are essential for usability and efficiency.
• Exploring logistics innovations – Assessing how Shift2Zero vehicle designs integrate with new logistics models, such as Physical Internet and synchromodal transport, to enhance delivery networks.
• Simulation & real-life demonstrations – Executing transport modeling and optimization simulations to support pilot implementations, and supporting the implementation of the Brussels pilot, where shared-use e-LCVs will be tested.

What will be the broader impact of the Shift2Zero project?
The broader impact of Shift2Zero will be the acceleration of the transition to zero-emission, efficient, and sustainable logistics in urban and suburban areas. The key areas of impact include:

• Societal impact: Reducing societal impact of logistics operations by lowering CO2 emissions, noise, and pressure on public spaces, while improving safety.
• Scientific and technological impact: Developing validated methodologies and innovative e-LCV designs for urban logistics optimization.
• Economic impact: Increasing logistics efficiency, reducing costs for e-LCVs through reduced operational expenses, and enabling new business models for clean and affordable urban logistics solutions.