Innovative sustainable urban last mile: small vehicles and business models (i-SMILE)

How could we increase sustainability in urban last mile deliveries? Can innovations both reduce the negative effects of e-commerce and simultaneously create a top delivery system for consumers? Hanken School of Economics is coordinating a Nordic research project that will dive into these questions.

Due to a rise in e-commerce and urbanization there is a rapid increase in last mile deliveries in the Nordic countries and internationally. This pace may increase due to the Corona crisis where many choose to shop on-line in order to avoid crowds.

The project purpose is to increase sustainability in urban last mile deliveries by understanding how innovations in urban last-mile may reduce the negative effects of e-commerce and at the same time create world-class delivery services for consumers. The i-Smile develops an innovation platform for upscaling sustainable business models for urban last mile deliveries. The project is partly funded by Nordic Innovation and has a total budget of 750 000 EUR (Hanken’s part 145 000 EUR)

Date: 2020-2023

Key Partners: Hanken School of Economics, Finland
VTI, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute Opens in new window , Sweden
TÖI, Institute of Transport Economics Opens in new window , Norway
CBS, Copenhagen Business School Opens in new window , Danmark

Projects members at Hanken: Anna Aminoff (PI), Virva Tuomala, Helleke Heikkinen

 

Project website: https://www.i-smile.fi/