Summary

The developments in city logistics are leading to an increasing number of smaller, time-sensitive deliveries. The parcel market has consistently grown over the past decade, with emerging business models such as ship-from-store (both B2C and B2B) and quick commerce. Moreover, companies are increasingly striving to become more sustainable. To address the challenges of faster delivery, clean transportation (low/zero-emission), and limited space in dense cities, the Light Electric Freight Vehicle (LEFV) presents itself as an innovative solution. This study focuses on LEFVs, encompassing all vehicles with a logistics application ranging from pedal-assisted cargo bikes to light electric vans (LEFV-N1). We specifically examine fresh goods delivery, parcel delivery, service logistics, and construction logistics for urban logistics applications. The study concentrates on factors that account for the potential growth of various types of LEFVs in the Netherlands across these applications over the next decade. The research methodology involves desk research, validation through workshops, quantitative analysis, and interviews with users, legislators, manufacturers, and dealers/leasing companies. The findings of the study include identification of trends, developments, vehicle characteristics, legal frameworks, potential growth opportunities for LEFVs, policies governing LEFV deployment, user profiles, reasons for deployment, and an estimated count of LEFVs in 2027. This count distinguishes between cannibalization on N1 and the number of LEFVs entering new (and partly non-existent) markets.