articles

Gearing up for a push on last mile eco-logistics

Climate technology firm Kale AI is on a mission to accelerate the growth of sustainable deliveries in cities carried out by light electric vehicles, and is developing software to optimise route planning with financial support and networking provided by Connected Places Catapult.

Britain’s e-commerce boom shows no signs of slowing; but as the volume of deliveries continues to rise, so too are the number of journeys completed by vans – adding to air pollution and increasing road danger.

One way of making city deliveries greener and safer is through the greater use of sustainable last mile mobility, such as electric cargo bicycles that carry goods in a platform up front, or quadracycles or trikes with freight carried in a larger box at the back.

Among the champions of these emerging forms of transport logistics is Kale AI, a start-up firm supported by Connected Places Catapult. It received £30,000 through the Transport Research & Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme’s Future of Freight challenge in 2021, and is now part of a growing community of logistics firms gathered in the Freight Innovation Cluster. It has also recently raised around £250,000 of pre-seed investment with a private capital firm.

“Our mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable logistics in cities through a switch from vans to cargo bikes, and the impact of doing so cannot be emphasised enough,” says the company’s co-founder Nicolas Collignon.

Research conducted during his time at cargo bike delivery company Pedal Me – in collaboration with academic researchers from Westminster University – found that light electric vehicles, such as cargo bikes, can be up to 60% more efficient than vans for deliveries in cities.

This efficiency gain is attributed to three main factors. “The first is that cycles are affected much less by congestion: the average car speed in London is less than 10mph, whereas on a bicycle you can go faster,” he says.

“Secondly, finding a parking space can be very difficult for motor vehicles in cities: delivery staff can spend half their day walking to complete a delivery, whereas cargo cycles can pull up right next to a door.” Nicolas also says that sustainable last mile vehicles have access to a wide range of infrastructure such as bike lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods, so their journeys can be up to a third shorter.

“Put all of that together, and you can see a significant advantage to using cargo cycles.”

Putting science into action

After completing his PhD in computational cognitive science and AI, Nicolas joined Pedal Me, a cargo-bike delivery company, as a data scientist. There, he worked on improving delivery efficiency while also making deliveries himself in London using cargo bikes. This experience proved valuable when he started Kale AI with his two co-founders.

“It was just as the pandemic began, and I was keen to apply my knowledge from AI research into an area with climate impact, such as cities, and see how the science worked on the ground,” he explains.

He used data to monitor the performance and efficiency that cargo bike deliveries were having, and explored the potential of the sector as he saw it. “One thing that was obvious was the tools could be improved to make deliveries more efficient.” He started building technology along with two former student friends, and the trio formed Kale AI.

In 2021, they won a smart mobility innovation grant from the London Mayor alongside the Better Bankside business improvement district and King’s College to develop an app to help businesses make smarter use of delivery vehicles, and encourage a switch to electric cargo bikes and electric vans.

The following year, the company applied to Connected Places Catapult for the TRIG competition’s Future of Freight call. It developed technology that predicted where light electric vehicles would be more efficient when planning last mile delivery routes.

Meeting growing expectations

One issue the team looked to address was how to help speed up deliveries in cities to meet customers’ growing expectations.

“Urban logistics used to involve a depot outside of cities: you loaded your van at the beginning of the day, and did your deliveries throughout the day.

“But the new trend among urban operators is to have micro-hubs in the middle of cities, and demand is more dynamic. Customers expect faster turnarounds, but operators have so many different kinds of customer: businesses, consumers and those who want next day deliveries, same day, even same hour deliveries.”

Because of this complexity, operators don’t always have the correct business insights, or even know if the choices they are taking are making or losing them money, Nicolas adds. “This means they are being guided by their intuitions, which becomes very difficult if you want to scale, and especially when margins are tight.

“So the software we are developing captures data and brings insights to the surface which operators need, such as which routes are profitable, how to make optimum use of deliveries, and anticipate when uncertain levels of demand may come.”

Longer term, the insights generated may allow operators to better understand what their delivery fleet should look like: how large their cycles should be and the number of wheels they should have, or which sized electric vans are most suitable.

Sustainable last mile transport is growing in popularity, but still has a long way to go. “Eighteen months ago, the UK hosted a cargo bike logistics summit and I remember people kept repeating that ‘We are not a niche market’. But to me, if you are saying it, there’s still an issue.

“But now it feels we are at the start of something; when you cycle in London, you notice just how many more cargo bikes there are today compared to a few years ago.

“What is critical is how you can reach a tipping point, and continue this momentum,” Nicolas adds. “There are strong signs this could happen; with companies like Amazon focusing on transitioning to using cargo bikes and setting ambitious targets.”

Investment and business support

Kale’s focus now is on creating a version of its software product that can be sold to the market, growing the team, and raising further funding at the end of the year.

“Securing our TRIG grant in 2022 allowed us to test out an idea and build our network, and we have attended several Freight Innovation Cluster meetings which have helped us to understand funding options and the world of transport. I’m excited to be part of the Cluster and seeing what may come of it.”

The firm has also been supported in joining Innovate UK’s ‘Bridge AI’ initiative which aims to close the gap between technology innovation and implementation.

Nicolas is optimistic for the future of last mile deliveries, and says his firm’s software can help operators to make better informed decisions. “Operators are currently struggling to be profitable, and are suffering from a lack of data-driven business insights. Our AI driven software is fully focused on their pain points, and could radically help their businesses.

“It might even persuade more delivery companies who had previously not considered them to try out cargo bikes.”

Apply to attend our upcoming TRIG Showcase and Networking event in Birmingham (23 October).

Find out more about the Transport Research & Innovation Grants programme, and sign up to join the Freight Innovation Cluster.

Watch a short film about cargo bikes featuring Nicolas Collignon  Bullitt Cargo Bikes vs Vans – the Last Mile Delivery Study – YouTube

events

Innovation Zero 2024

The UK's largest net-zero congress

Register now

Event finished: 1st May 2024

We are delighted to once again participate in Innovation Zero, and we’re contributing to a number of sessions, including: 

Andrew Chadwick, Ecosystem Director, Air Mobility & Airports, joining the Fuelling Flight: Hydrogen session on 1 May at 11:45.

Alison Young, Head of Global Investment, joining the session on Funding the Automotive Transformation, on 1 May at 12:25 in the Transport & Mobility Forum.

events

Connected North 2024

Delivering the North's Connected Future

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Event finished: 23rd April 2024

We are hosting a Digital Twin Hub session on Day 1, 22 April at 2pm, titled ‘Digital twins driving innovation in the North – Explore innovative projects that look to catapult the North of the UK into a bright digital future’. Join Nury Moreira, Community Manager of Digital Twin Hub, and other speakers for an inspiring conversation.

events

UKREiiF 2024

The UK's Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum

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Event finished: 23rd May 2024

This year, we are proud to host our own Pavilion, a place designed to showcase real innovation, and provide opportunities to connect with thought leaders, and UK and global peers.

To review our full Agenda of sessions and activities taking place over the three days and plan your visit, please head to the UKREiiF website > Programme tab > Download Programme or > Click on the Connected Places Catapult Pavilion dot to browse online.

Make sure to visit our Pavilion in Pavilion Square, we look forward to connecting with you in Leeds!

events

Interchange 2024

Be the Change

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Event finished: 28th February 2024

Paul Wilson, our Chief Business Officer, is participating in the keynote panel titled ‘Transport as the key to people-centric, accessible, and sustainable urban spaces’ on 27 Feb, from 13:10 on the Keynote Stage.

Justin Anderson, Director of Digital Twin Hub, is delivering a presentation on connected digital twins as part of Interchange partner event Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) Live, also on 27 Feb.

Come find us on the show floor and connect!

Register using code CPC24.

events

Open and Agile Smart Cities (OASC) Conference 2024

Become better connected

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Event finished: 17th January 2024

We’re delighted to participate in the Open & Agile Smart Cities Conference. Make sure to visit our Connected Places Catapult stand on the show floor and to join the sessions our experts are participating in over the course of the two days.

news

Clean tech innovators in the West Midlands to tackle transport challenges

Companies delivering greener transport technologies will take part in trials and receive funding and business support as part of the Clean Futures accelerator programme.

Twenty firms at the leading edge of efforts to reduce the transport sector’s reliance on fossil fuels have been announced as participants on the Clean Futures accelerator programme in the West Midlands.

Clean Futures is led by Connected Places Catapult alongside programme partners the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, Coventry University and CU Services Limited.

Companies chosen for the programme will each receive up to £50,000 to trial their solutions over the next six months, and address one of five challenge areas associated with the rail and automotive manufacturing sectors. The challenges cover greener electric vehicle components; the circular economy of transport; road freight alternatives; greener transport infrastructure; and future fuels.

The accelerator will also provide bespoke technical and commercial support as well as networking and showcasing events to connect the SMEs with industry and financial partners.

“Working with our excellent partners, the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, Coventry University and CU Services Limited, the Clean Futures accelerator programme aims to really move the needle in the West Midlands by supporting the most exciting clean tech innovators.

Connected Places Catapult is delighted to be supporting the 20 small to medium sized companies in this first cohort of the programme, and we look forward to seeing their ideas develop.”

Alex Weedon, Executive Director, Connected Places Catapult, SME Development and Academic Engagement

Meet the 20 companies and their innovations:

AceOn Group (trading as AceOn Battery Solar Technology) has developed a portable energy storage system using second-life electric car batteries, as an alternative to diesel powered generators.

Adelan will demonstrate its solid oxide fuel cell (hydrogen technology power generator) as a cleantech solution for applications including boats, trucks, planes, trains and cars to enable energy systems to decarbonise.

Box Tube has developed a rapid vehicle loading solution for tote boxes, which promises to reduce emissions by enabling efficient and convenient transfer between road and rail.

ChangeMaker 3D is developing a concrete printing technology for the UK rail sector. It is printing and installing a 3D printed toilet pod, which can integrate rainwater harvesting and solar power.

Coexlion has created a Smart Utility Case to fit to the Verdemoto food delivery vehicle to reduce last mile carbon emissions, and reduce short car journeys. It uses IoT connectivity to link orders with the vehicle.

Composite Braiding will demonstrate the net zero benefits of using lightweight advanced composites to manufacture sustainable and lower cost structural components.

Duck Tours (trading as Seahorse Amphibious Vehicles) is using second-life electric vehicle  components to electrify amphibious passenger vehicles, to promote resource efficiency.

Gaussion designs magnetic systems that improve battery performance, and aims to significantly reduce charging times and increase the lifespan of batteries for use in automotive applications.

Global Nano Network has developed a high performance current collector, designed to dramatically improve the cycle life and discharge rate of li-ion and next generation batteries.

Harry Needle Railroad Company and Advanced Hydrogen Technologies are installing a hydrogen injection system and a carbon capture unit on to a test locomotive to improve the environmental and fuel efficiency of diesel locomotives.

Hixal has developed a high power, high voltage Power Distribution Unit (PDU) and Control System for its mobile, off-grid, ultra-fast chargers with zero emissions.

Hy-Met has created a rapid and non-contact battery inspection solution to evaluate battery cell quality, that offers data crucial for new regulatory procedures such as a ‘battery passport’.

Intelligent Power Generation (trading as IPG Energy) is delivering a clean, fuel-agnostic generator to help businesses accelerate their transition to renewable fuels for distributed power.

Nedra is developing a lightweight electric vehicle using natural fibre composites, to significantly cut carbon emissions over its lifetime compared to other urban delivery and taxi electric vehicles.

Newreg (trading as car.co.uk) is pioneering a digital platform using AI to perform vehicle inspections at the point of collection, while a dynamic pricing model evaluates a vehicle’s market value.

PowerUp Off-Grid Services is pioneering sustainable ‘Energy as a Service’ solutions, starting with the replacement of fossil fuel generators with its AI-driven battery ‘PowerStations’.

TaiSan Energy develops sustainable and low-cost battery packs for the automotive sector and has built sodium-ion battery packs, designed for micromobility vehicles.

Universal Signalling has developed a novel signalling architecture to create a step-change in the simplicity, cost and flexibility of railway signalling and train control systems.

Varamis Rail is working on a fully-electric express rail logistics business using existing 100mph former passenger trains repurposed to carry parcels, to allow freight to move between train and last-mile sustainable delivery solutions.

White Motorcycle Concepts is developing a first/last mile hybrid motorcycle with enhanced battery capacity, with a view to producing a commercially available vehicle by the middle of 2024.

Clean Futures Accelerator Cohort Brochure

File type: pdf

File size: 34.3Mb

Download Report

Clean Futures is being led by Connected Places Catapult in collaboration with the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, Coventry University and CU Services Limited. It is part of the wider West Midlands Innovation Accelerator, which is designed to bolster the region’s innovation and R&D capability and spark commercial growth and investment. The West Midlands Innovation Accelerator is delivered in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

opportunities

Shaping the Future, Today

Applications are now closed

Future Focused Solutions for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation – Open Call and Investment Forum for UK and UAE Businesses

The COP28 – Net Zero Mitigation & Resilience Solutions for the UAE programme is seeking to develop long-term, business led research and innovation collaborations between UAE based investors and SMEs and the UK to address pivotal climate change mitigation and resilience challenges.  
 
Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Gulf Strategy Fund, this programme is responding to three opportunities outlined in the 2023 iteration of Dubai Future Foundation’s The Global 50 future opportunities report. The challenges have been chosen to create collaborations that merge local and UK expertise.  
 
We will work with Dubai Future Foundation and Expo City Dubai to offer UK and UAE SMEs the opportunity to connect and collaborate on solutions to three challenges focusing on minimising environmental risks, harnessing nature’s capacity to restore itself and radically changing ways of life by replacing the models that countries, communities and individuals live by. 
 
For each challenge, we will select 4 SMEs, two based in the UK and two based in UAE to showcase their solution to the challenge in Dubai at the end of March 2024. The selected companies will also present their business to a selected group of UAE– based investors at an Investor Pitch Evening. Where appropriate and viable, the showcase presentations may be selected to be installed at Expo City Dubai, or other suitable venues, for a period of 3 months.

Key dates

Programme Challenges

Learn more about the challenges here

Read more

The Dubai Future Foundation is at the forefront of creating innovation platforms that allow for ideas to take shape through strategic collaboration locally in Dubai and globally, shaping a better future.

Among the organisation’s initiatives, The Global 50 shares Dubai Future Foundation’s view of the future and outlines 50 opportunities for growth, prosperity and well-being. Some of these opportunities may be in their early days of exploration, some require reflection and some feel very far away.

Connected Places Catapult’s technology experts have chosen three specific challenges from the 2023 edition of The Global 50 which link to accelerating innovation in our cities and will allow us to explore specific ideas and initiatives that can bring positive long-term financial, environmental and societal outcomes.

1: What if the next wave of car technology innovation was in the wheels? 

A series of technological innovations in the wheels redefine the future of car transport – from maglev (magnetic levitation) solutions and drone-like technologies to the replacement of rubber in tyres and new ways of conceptualising the function of wheels on a car. 
 
We are particularly interested in sensor / AI driven solutions to optimising tyre and brake wear and reducing pollutants for EVs. 

Why it matters today: Tyres and brake systems produce large amounts of microplastics as by-products. Up to 100,000 tonnes of microplastics from tyres end up in the ocean each year and a further 40,000 tonnes of microplastics come from wear and tear on car brakes. With the average scrapped car tyre weighing 9 kg, the amount of microplastics discharged into the ocean is equivalent to 11 million tyres each year. Research suggests that nanoparticles generated from road traffic can cause harm, and increased road traffic is a major cause of high particle concentrations in polluted urban areas. Atmospheric particulate matter was recognised as the leading cause of 43,000 premature deaths in Europe by the European Environment Agency in 2015.

The opportunity: The transport landscape is changing. Imaginative new applications of drone or maglev (magnetic levitation) technology could be the future. For example, in one scenario, there could be hybrid vehicles that are capable of running on electricity or alternative fuels but that switch over to maglev mode when the infrastructure is available. This would prevent the release of nanoparticles of dust, plastic and minerals into the atmosphere, as well as reducing noise levels. Such solutions would make the roads cleaner, improving ecosystems and human health.

Replacing rubber tyres with new materials and new wheel and brake technologies can minimise wear and tear on both vehicles and road surfaces. When used safely, lower-friction – or even frictionless solutions, augmented by advanced machine intelligence and autonomous systems – can cut energy consumption, enabling electric vehicles to travel further.

Wheels could become multifunctional. Rethinking the functionality of wheels and tyres beyond simply transportation and carrying the load of the car could lead to the development of wheels that can generate energy, filter nanoparticles and absorb emissions, among other applications.

2: What if we could absorb greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter on demand anywhere in the world?

Enabled by materials science, automation and advanced machine intelligence, emissions and particulate matter are absorbed on an as-needed basis, anywhere in the world, independent of technological capabilities available on hand. 

Why it matters today: On average, those living in the largest urban cities in the MENA region breathe in 10 times the level of pollutants in the air that the World Health Organization considers safe.

The opportunity: Clean air will one day be a critical need if climate change persists. Materials science, automation and advanced machine intelligence could contribute to the invention of a mobile emissions and particulate matter (PM) scrubber that could absorb carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases and PM anywhere in the world. If this idea were scaled, scrubbers could be positioned at sea as offshore platforms to absorb emissions and PM. 

Mobile emissions and PM scrubbers could be standalone solutions powered by renewable sources of energy. Using advanced materials, they could efficiently absorb greenhouse gases and PM and either store them for later use or convert them into fuel and other non-harmful, possibly useful chemicals. 

3: What if deliveries went underground?

An AI-powered pneumatic tube system for city-wide delivery on demand that offers a completely integrated OnDemand delivery model reviving an old approach with the technological advances needed. 

The opportunity: The idea of a city-wide pneumatic tube system is not new – no longer operational because of high operational costs, the New York postal service was connected in 1897 through pipes that delivered letters and parcels around the city.  

New materials, new building techniques and automated, AI-powered distribution centres could offer completely integrated on-demand delivery models giving traction in reviving the former approach. Pneumatic tunnels (also called vacuum tunnels) embedded into the urban infrastructure to connect buildings and distribution nodes could offer ‘beyond-the-doorstep’ delivery solutions to hospitals and other critical services. With development costs integrated into zoning and real estate plans, the tunnel system could be run on a pay-per-use basis. 

Integrating small robotic distribution centres around cities would mean that packages could be electronically tagged for delivery to an address and loaded into a sealed pipe for instant dispatch. Buildings would be equipped with hatches where goods could be sent and received. Perfect traceability of goods from dispatch to delivery would be guaranteed, as the system would automatically track tagged goods via distributed ledger technology databases. 

Whats’ on offer to SMEs?

6 UK and 6 UAE companies will be selected to participate in this programme and benefit from tailored support from Connected Places Catapult experts, and funding leading up to the presentation of their solutions and investor pitches.

UK Based SMEs will be provided with financial assistance up to £10k in total value to develop their showcase presentations and cover the travel and accommodation for the trip to Dubai in March 2024.

Am I eligible for this programme?

UK SME eligibility criteria for UK organisations:

• You must be a registered UK company.
• You are ready and willing to collaborate and showcase your solution in the UAE.
• You need to be export-ready, but no previous export experience is required.
• The technology on which your solution (product or service) will be based should be TRL 3-4 and above, e.g., at proof of concept stage or above.
• Desire to expand internationally.

UAE SME eligibility criteria:

• You must be a registered organisation according to your national legislation.
• You are ready and willing to collaborate and showcase your solution.
• You need to be export-ready, but no previous export experience is required.
• The technology on which your solution (product or service) will be based should be TRL 3-4 and above.
• Desire to expand internationally.

How to apply

Please register through the link below. Applications close midnight 28 January 2024

Supporting documents

Competition scope

Selection criteria

Point of contact

If you have any questions about the programme and application, please contact:

Megan Ford, SME Ecosystem Support Officer, megan.ford@cp.catapult.org.uk  

Application Support Webinar

We will host an application support webinar, with a date to be confirmed shortly.

This webinar will cover the background to the programme, the challenges it is aiming to address, how the programme will benefit SMEs, guidance on how to apply and information on the application process.

Meet the innovators

In this episode we meet two companies that have had to navigate the innovation rollercoaster to get to where they are.

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Innovating isn’t easy. It’s risky, it’s fraught with failure, and there’s no guarantees of success. In this episode we meet two companies that have had to navigate the innovation rollercoaster to get to where they are. Both companies have been supported by the Connected Places Catapult at various points in their journey. They have each developed two ground-breaking products and collected some great stories to tell along the way. Our in-house journalist, Mike Walter, spoke to Eugene Bari, the CEO and Managing Director of Ecomar Propulsion and Dr Victoria Kroll, CEO & co-founder of Esitu Solutions. Ecomar Propulsion builds zero emission propulsion systems for the maritime industry, whilst Esitu Solutions is on a mission to improve road safety and reduce the number of driving accidents using virtual reality technology. Theme music on this episode is by Phill Ward Music (www.phillward.com)

Show notes

To read the full article on Ecomar Propulsion or Esitu Solutions, click on the link. To read more articles in our ‘Meet the Innovator’ series, click here. To register for our inaugural Connected Places Summit, being held in London on 20-21 March 2024, click here. To find out more about what we do at the Connected Places Catapult and to hear about the latest news, events and announcements, visit cp.catapult.org.uk and do sign up to our newsletter!

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Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Please also take a moment to write a review and rate us so that more people can hear about the podcast and what we do at Connected Places Catapult.

Transcript

Full transcript is available here.