Currently, various freight transport companies, as well as courier and parcel companies, have plans to accelerate the decarbonization of their operations to contribute to caring for the environment. However, it is a reality that the conditions for incorporating electric cargo vehicles are not yet entirely favorable .
The General Law on Mobility and Road Safety (LGMSV) determines in its Article 55 that the management of mobility demand seeks to reduce the use of less efficient modes of freight and passenger transport and promote the most sustainable and safe ones. It also states that federal, state and municipal authorities and the territorial demarcations of Mexico City must implement measures focused on reducing emissions and other negative externalities provided for in the LGMSV and the General Law on Climate Change.
More than two years after the publication of the LGMSV, there are no concrete plans to promote the adoption of cleaner energies, leveraged with robust financing programs or with fiscal and non-fiscal incentive projects .
Despite this, several companies have already decided to acquire electric fleets, and some companies have not only incorporated electric vehicles, but have also developed their own delivery units.
“Little by little, the last mile has decided to migrate to lighter vehicles, which facilitates distribution and has greater fuel efficiency, thereby optimizing costs. Also, over the years, there has been a trend towards the adoption of electric vehicles, which is also driving a rethinking of the renovation of city infrastructure,” explained Sonia Aguilar, regional coordinator for Latin America of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety .
According to Aguilar, the infrastructure for recharging vehicles is an area of opportunity to contribute to the reorganization of roads. He explained that this consists of the best use of public space so that a better distribution of goods can be generated in the most congested cities. Added to this is a strategy so that the loading and unloading of goods is done in a safe and efficient manner.
Aguilar stressed that in some large cities, loading and unloading is done at night, in this way the attributes of electric vehicles are better utilized and traffic congestion is not contributed to. “We have the opportunity to rethink together the most efficient operation of cities,” he said.
In turn, Ricardo Serrano, president of the Mexican Association of Mobility Authorities (AMAM) , pointed out during his participation in the 30th National Meeting of Mobility Authorities (ENAM) that within the five strategic axes of the National Mobility Agenda, the reduction of emissions in motor transport was placed in a primordial place.
The agenda proposes decarbonisation through the orderly and realistic coexistence of sustainable energy sources and technologies , which allows for the systematic and tangible reduction of emissions.
“We are committed to reducing emissions from road transport by integrating cleaner vehicles into our cities, with the support of the government and the private sector,” said Serrano.
