URBANIZED project trials new delivery solution in Brussels

Since the start of 2024, Brussels has been seeing a new type of delivery vehicle as part of the postal service. Within the scope of the Horizon 2020 URBANIZED project, Belgium’s national postal service Bpost is testing the use of a new electric vehicle with a detachable cargo compartment called ASTRID.

The vehicle is designed to improve road safety performance, exploit efficiency for energy use and routing, as well as to cover different use cases in terms of delivery functions. The detachable cargo compartments allow drop-off and pick-up of several deliveries by one vehicle. It can be tailored in design for different functions e.g. as a box for CEP services or a loading area for bulkier items. Expectations are that ASTRID will improve the cost-effectiveness of deliveries by at least 51% compared to conventional electric vehicles and reduce emissions at the same time.

The URBANIZED project is also engaging in the design of a new electric cargo bike, as well and exploring necessary changes in the areas of regulatory support, acceptance at the user side and further technological advancements to push for economic and environmental improvements of urban freight delivery.