Hermes Tests A-N.T. Cargobikes in Stuttgart City Center

Cargo bikes have already taken an important place in the mobility mix of Hermes Germany to meet the diverse challenges in urban areas. Therefore, the logistics company is consistently testing new cargo bike models: By the end of the year, Hermes is testing two E-Cargobikes of the type “Cargo:4” from the manufacturer A-N.T. in the Stuttgart city center.

(Hamburg/Stuttgart) The pedelecs are operating on Königstraße and Schlossplatz, transporting an average of 100 shipments daily. The starting point for the delivery tours is the underground garage “Stephangarage.” Hermes uses the centrally located APCOA parking garage as a micro-depot. The experiences from the first test days are already promising.

Congested streets, parking shortages, and CO₂ emissions – the situation is increasingly tense, especially in cities. Additionally, there is a rise in shipment volumes and thus more delivery traffic. Cargo bikes have the potential to relieve urban traffic and establish themselves as a building block for sustainable, forward-looking parcel and city logistics. After Hermes has already been delivering packages with cargo bikes in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, and Ludwigsburg, a pilot test is now also taking place in Stuttgart.

“The Stuttgart city center is perfect for a cargo bike test. Traffic jams and space shortages, along with time constraints for delivery traffic and car-free zones, are commonplace here. This makes parcel delivery challenging,” explains Marko Hudicsek, Last Mile Manager at Hermes Germany in the Stuttgart region. “I am even more pleased that we are now allowed to test the Cargo:4 from A-N.T. Our delivery personnel have also provided very positive feedback: For example, traffic jams in the Stuttgart city center are no longer a problem. And the challenging search for parking is now a thing of the past.”

“The A-N.T. Cargo:4 relies on durable and low-wear scooter components and is designed for the highest loads in daily professional transport use. Quality made in Germany,” explains Michael Halfpap, Senior Account Manager at A-N.T.

Efficient, Robust, and Flexible

The A-N.T. Cargo:4 model is a robust and versatile heavy-duty E-Cargo bike specifically developed for professional transport operations on the last mile. With a payload of 250 kg and a loading area that can accommodate a Euro pallet (1.20 m x 0.80 m), the model offers sufficient capacity for parcel transport. During the test operation, around 100 shipments can be delivered daily per cargo bike in the Stuttgart city center at a maximum speed of 25 km/h. An advantage is also the individual setups: For parcel transport from Hermes, the exchange box is used, and optional weather protection can also be added.

Micro-depot Directly on Königstraße

Parcel storage at central locations in the city center is an important prerequisite for delivery with the cargo bike. With the underground garage “Stephangarage” in the APCOA parking garage, the starting point for the delivery tours during the pilot test is maximally central in the Stuttgart city center. The local conditions are ideal for a problem-free delivery of shipments and the subsequent loading of the bikes. From the city hub, the two pedelecs from A-N.T. set off on their journey – quietly, quickly, agile, and environmentally friendly.

“With the two existing cargo bikes, we can completely cover our target area in the Stuttgart city center. In the coming weeks and months, we will thoroughly test the cargo bikes,” Marko Hudicsek provides an outlook. “If the positive initial impressions are confirmed, the A-N.T. bikes will also play an important role in the upcoming peak season.”

Photo: © Hermes