Because of its environmental impact, the challenges of urban logistics have become a real concern for companies, and particularly for all those involved in last-mile logistics. With current environmental issues, the proliferation of regulations in city centres, and upcoming bans on the deployment of new combustion-powered vehicles (by 2035), added to the ban on the use of polluting gases by 2023 with the recently passed European F-Gas regulation, supply chain and temperature-controlled delivery operators are facing a real challenge. At a time when the demand for home delivery is constantly increasing, temperature-controlled transport flows represent a potential of almost 10 billion euros*, two-thirds of which is outsourced to transport service providers. The food industry currently accounts for 91% of the market's needs.
The need to provide a reliable, low-carbon and rapidly available solution to ensure the continuity of urban deliveries prompted VUF Bikes, the pioneering French manufacturer of electric e-trikes for urban professionals, and Sofrigam Group, the European leader in temperature-controlled solutions for preserving heat-sensitive products, to pool their expertise to develop the the VUF XXL Coldway Inside e-trike the first 100% carbon-free, silent, high-performance and robust cold electric e-trike with a lifespan of up to 10 years.
The first 100% carbon-free refrigerated cargo bike made in France
The VUF XXL Coldway Inside is an electrically-assisted e-trike made in France (produced between Mérignac (33), Perpignan (64) and Arras (59)) specially designed to preserve the quality of food products (cold, fresh, ambient & frozen) and to keep pharmaceutical products (vaccines, samples, etc.) at the right temperature right up to the patient or end consumer.
This robust and revolutionary cargo bike is a combination of almost 10 years of expertise from VUF Bikes and over 40 years of expertise from the Sofrigam group.
The e-trike has a useful volume of 0.5m3 and a payload of 60kg at the rear and a payload of 25kg on the front luggage rack. Thanks to its ideal dimensions, this cargo bike complies with the "VAE standard" (regulations on electrically-assisted bicycles) and can therefore travel on bus lanes and cycle paths, effortlessly weaving its way into the heart of cities for faster, more efficient and, above all, silent deliveries. PIEK certification for Coldway technology means that it can ensure the continuity of urban deliveries at night or during shifts.
A cargo bike already in demand by major logistics players in France
The VUF XXL Coldway Inside has been tried, tested and approved in advance by La Poste, in a real-life situation in the City of Paris to deliver meals to elderly and isolated people. To date, a fleet of more than 20 VUF Bikes x Sofrigam electric e-trikes is delivering meals to the homes of senior citizens in Paris.
« La Poste Group has set up a home delivery service for isolated and elderly people. So we were looking for a low-carbon, robust logistics solution that respects the cold chain to deliver meals to senior citizens living in town centres. In line with our strategy of deploying cycling solutions, we were delighted to be able to preview the new VUF Bikes three-wheeler, the result of their partnership with the Sofrigam group. Thanks to this innovative cargo bike, postmen and women can now easily deliver meals to urban senior citizens. »
Jean-Louis Carrasco, Director of Urban Logistics at La Poste
A genuine technological innovation, this extraordinary cargo bike will also be on show at the Las Vegas CES from 9 to 12 January 2024 on Valeo's outdoor demonstration stand.
"Since the launch of VUF Bikes, we have sought to meet the needs of urban professionals by offering them ever more innovative solutions tailored to the specific needs of their businesses. Now, with a view to catering for the catering and pharmaceutical sectors, we have joined forces with the Sofrigam group to create the ideal e-trike for transporting heat-sensitive foodstuffs and products. We're delighted with this partnership, which will enable us to make cargo bikes an even more integral part of our city centres and continue our mission to decarbonise last-mile deliveries.
Thomas Chenut, Founder and CEO of VUF Bikes
"SOLUTRANS is the perfect opportunity to reveal this industrial partnership and the combination of our 2 areas of expertise to meet the need of a pioneering player like La Poste to decarbonise town center deliveries. A high-quality, silent, carbon-free solution made in France. This cargo bike is designed to make temperature-controlled cyclo-logistics the perfect response to the challenges of the supply chain and city centres.
Gilles Labranque, Chairman and Founder of the Sofrigam Group
The advantages of the VUF XXL Coldway Inside :
⦁ Simple and and intuitive to use for simple organisation of activities
E-trike that goes everywherein urban and ultra-urban centres
⦁ Zero air pollution uses a low-carbon energy carrier. No CO2 emissions
⦁ Energy efficiency electric e-trike and refrigerated box without battery or compressor, does not consume the cargo bike battery
⦁ Zero noise pollution silent refrigerated solution < 50 dB(A) (PIEK certified). Night-time deliveries from 11pm to 7am.
⦁ Zero refrigerant recharging
⦁ 100% regulatory compatibility for city centres (ZFE accessibility, F-Gas compatible)
