Written by Adeline Tang. 13 June 2022
We live in the era of food delivery and online shopping, which became prevalent due to an interesting mix of globalization, the advancement of technology as well as the unfortunate appearance of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Without the need to leave our venues in order to buy something, ordering items becomes so tempting. It just requires a click of a button on the respective app and the purchase will be brought right to your doorstep, perhaps even quicker than personally heading out to acquire it yourself.
Left: GrabFood Singapore.
Right: Glovo from Spain in Milan.
(Photo by Witono)
How does that work? Of course, when we talk about e-purchases, that would mean that there will be logistics services dedicated to delivering purchases to customers. In recent years, there has been a spike in the number of logistics companies mushrooming around the world to meet the growing demand and to grab their slice of the pie. With this, it is no surprise that the number of delivery vehicles on the road explodes. In countries that value sustainability including Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, they turn to electric mobility and clean energy, which means the boom of electric scooters and bicycles. The innovation of the cargo e-scooter has emerged to cater to the needs of our society. This gives the world a much needed convenience while increasing the number of jobs. However, this comes accompanied with some other pressing concerns.
Electric assisted cargo bike in Japan operated by SAGAWA being parked by the road during delivery.
(photo by Witono 15 May 2022)
One of the biggest issues that emerged is the lack of parking for certain delivery vehicles, specifically the last mile delivery which includes motorbikes, scooters and bicycles.
Food delivery riders risk getting fines rather than paying for parking despite the concern for safety.
(Singapore Shin Min Daily News 22 May 2022)
Most buildings have been designed without consideration for last-mile delivery vehicles due to the recent change in trend. These issues include the lack of space, unaccommodating carparks and expensive parking fees. Most buildings only offer loading and unloading bays that are designed for vehicles such as lorries and vans and are completely unsuitable for last mile deliveries.
In order to overcome these difficulties, delivery riders typically park their vehicles along curbsides which pose a different set of problems altogether. When these vehicles park at unauthorized locations, especially right outside certain buildings, not only does it affect the aesthetic appeal of the compound, it might cause inconvenience to the occupants. Buildings with stricter policies may impose hefty fines for riders who park their vehicles in such areas. Another problem is the fact that they pose a risk to passers-by as such areas are only meant for pedestrians. Some other concerns include the possibility of vehicles being stolen or damaged when left outside in public areas, which incurs a huge loss for delivery riders who depend on their vehicles for their livelihood.
Parking means business in Japan. ¥18.1 billion (US$135 million) was spent to create bicycle parking infrastructure.
(source: nippon.com)
(photo by Witono 10 May 2022)
Tackling the issue of catering parking spaces to last mile deliveries will require a long time due to the changes in planning around cities, and will be especially challenging when it comes to cities with space constraints and structures that have been around for decades or even centuries.
Bicycles to the value of €600 million were stolen in the Netherlands, theft of electric bikes increased by 38%.
(source: www.dutchnews.nl)
(photo by Witono)
It is unknown how long governments will take to address such issues, however we have the power to make the change. With the MIMO cargo e-scooter, there is no need to worry about parking your vehicle at unauthorized spaces or risking your vehicle getting damaged or stolen. In 3 seconds, the Mimo cargo e-scooter can transform into a trolley for users to easily push their cargo into buildings. Sleek, smooth and efficient.
The trial run with the convertible MIMO C1 prototype traveled seamlessly between buildings and offices, entered elevators, directly to the doorstep. Delivering parcels, documents and meals.
Left: Bicycle parking lots outside of a train station.
Right: Pushing MIMO C1 as a trolley inside a mall in Tokyo.