Widespread adoption of green vehicles in urban logistics may contribute to the alleviation of problems such as environmental pollution, global warming, and oil dependency. A recent paper by Patella et. al. presents a comprehensive literature review on studies investigating the adoption of green vehicles in city logistics, paying specific attention to e-commerce.
To shed light on the adoption of green vehicles in city logistics, the paper conducts a systematic review of the empirical literature on the topic. The 159 articles reviewed were classified into the following (based on selected keywords):
- optimization and scheduling (67 papers)
- policy (55 papers)
- sustainability (37 papers).
Among the 159 articles, a further selection of 17 papers dealing with e-commerce, i.e., studies that highlight the most relevant aspects related to the integration of green vehicles in e-commerce urban logistics, was performed.
The findings indicate that green vehicles are competitive in urban deliveries characterized by frequent stop-and-go movements and low consolidation levels while incentives are still necessary for their adoption. The use of autonomous vehicles is the most promising and challenging solution for last-mile logistics. Unfortunately, the review does not look at the literature on the technology of e.g. (light) electric vehicles and light commercial vans.
As to the limitations of the research presented in this paper, this review is subject to the potential omission of relevant studies which have not been covered by the keywords…’. The review is a nice start for students, but far from ‘systematic’ to be useful for professionals.
Source: Patella, S.M.; Grazieschi, G.; Gatta, V.; Marcucci, E.; Carrese, S. The Adoption of Green Vehicles in Last Mile Logistics: A Systematic Review. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6.