Two Newcastle-based companies have joined forces to deliver a last-mile delivery service which uses a large van as a distribution hub, served by several smaller electric vehicles.

The if.Micro is an electric cargo bike which can be stacked in the back of a van

The solution was developed by route optimisation specialist, The Algorithm People, working with If.Vehicles, which offers a light electric quadricycle that can be used as a power-assisted trolley. It’s hoped this will improve efficiency, reduce cost and cut carbon emissions for last-mile deliveries, compared to using many smaller vans.

The partnership comes as rising demand for home deliveries is resulting in record registration figures for light commercial vehicles this year, according to the latest SMMT figures. If.Vehicles will sell the The Algorithm People’s route optimisation platform, My Transport Planner, and the companies will collaborate on future R&D efforts.

Colin Ferguson, CEO of The Algorithm People, commented: “Our partnership will enable couriers, logistics operators and home delivery companies to transition to mobile transient hubs. This will significantly reduce emissions from the last mile, while ensuring it remains affordable and convenient for customers.”

Bill Clare, CEO of if.Vehicles, said: “As consumers and businesses increasingly shift to online shopping, reducing emissions from last-mile logistics is going to be even more critical to the UK meeting its climate change goals.

“Working with The Algorithm People we can offer the complete package for the last-mile that not only reduces emissions but increases capacity of the whole fleet – innovative, battery-powered vehicles, novel fleet integration methods and the software to optimise their use.”