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     ELCIDIS: Rotterdam

Rotterdam, with about 600 000 inhabitants, has one of the largest ports in the world and is therefore the central mainport for goods distribution in Europe. Rotterdam's transport policy aims at facilitating the economically important distribution activities whilst reducing the environmental impact of traffic. To achieve this objective, goods transport is being shifted towards environmentally-friendly transport by rail and water. However, trains and ships only offer an alternative for long-distance transport, not for regional transport and urban distribution activities. Goods distribution in Rotterdam is and will be, in the near future, based on road transport.The best way of solving the problems of urban distribution in Rotterdam, is by evolving road transport in the city into a clean and efficient urban distribution system.

In Rotterdam the three main transport companies are already active as urban distributors. These companies, transporting about 70% of all parcels & packages, operate from their central distribution centres situated at the edge of the city.The companies use large trucks for long-distance transport to the distribution centres and distribute goods in and out of the city by vans and small trucks. In this efficiently organised urban distribution system a further reduction in the emissions of noise and air pollution must be reached by introducing cleaner vehicles. Electric vehicles offer a clean alternative to the diesel engine vehicles and are very suitable for the short trips and many stops characteristic of urban distribution vehicles. Furthermore, these vehicles will be more energy-efficient.

ELCIDIS offers Rotterdam the possibility of introducing 9 electric vehicles for deliveries of parcels & packages for the three participating transport companies. The vehicles must prove themselves in the existing logistic systems of these companies. A vehicle serves up to a hundred addresses a day in one single trip, which demands a payload of 1000 - 1500 kg.These type of electric vehicles are not yet been widely tested in practice, which means that this project offers a unique opportunity for doing so. Furthermore, the possibility of less restrictions in the city centre for these electric delivery vehicles will be integrated in the project.