Shift2Zero kicks off: decarbonisation of urban logistics through zero-emission vehicles
The challenge of urban decarbonisation: how to reconcile emission reduction with commercial needs. This is one of the primary objectives of the Shift2Zero project, an initiative focused on the deployment of electric vehicles in urban environments and the transformation of logistics models designed to support their use. Co-funded by the European Commission, the project has a budget of 12 million euros and will run until 2028. Among the 30 partners from 10 countries, Italian partners will play a key role, focusing specifically on the urban area of Bologna. GRUBER Logistics, ITL – Institute for Transport and Logistics, IVECO, FIT Consulting, Alkè Electric Vehicles, Brembo, and Cold Car will work alongside the Municipality of Bologna, also a project partner, to test a new urban logistics model.
The project was recently presented by Andrea Condotta, Director of Innovation, Sustainability and Public Affairs at GRUBER Logistics and Vice President of ALICE, at the POLIS annual leadership event held at the Capitoline Hill in Rome, an event attended by representatives of cities across Europe.
Marcello Corazzola, Managing Director of GRUBER Logistics, emphasises that “cities worldwide are facing an increasingly pressing challenge: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality to safeguard the health and well-being of citizens. However, the need to decarbonise the urban environment often conflicts with the necessity of ensuring the continuity of commerce and essential services. Freight transport is, in fact, an essential activity for the city’s economy, as it supplies shops, restaurants, and businesses with the goods and services vital to our daily lives. To overcome conservative approaches while simultaneously protecting businesses, we must work together to reconcile economic and environmental sustainability. We are therefore delighted with this new collaboration, which engages both the public and private sectors at the same time.” To foster this dialogue, GRUBER Logistics organised a workshop dedicated to the project on 2 June at the Munich Trade Fair.
Marco Chiffi, Branch Manager of GRUBER Logistics in Bologna, explains that “GRUBER Logistics has long been committed to freight distribution in the Bologna area, and the project involves testing electric vehicle prototypes and a new urban logistics model—tests that will subsequently be replicated across several European cities.”
In addition to the Italian partners, the Shift2Zero project includes major industrial and logistics players among its participants, such as DHL Express, DPD, Diakinisis, and Michelin. Furthermore, the project relies on the collaboration of numerous technical partners and public bodies, including Eurecat, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), TØI – Institute of Transport Economics, Bax Innovation, ALICE, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Applus IDIADA, Łukasiewicz Automotive Industry Institute, Municipality of Wroclaw, City of Thessaloniki, City of Bergen, Brussels Mobility, and Paxster. This diversity of partners ensures a wide range of expertise and experience, which is essential to the success of the Shift2Zero project.