Ikea propels solar powered vehicles for home deliveries

In 2021, during the peak pandemic period, Ikea experimented door delivery of goods to customers using solar powered vehicles. After a successful pilot at Delft, in the Netherlands, the company has decided to extend this across the world in the coming years.

“This Sunrider bike can accommodate roughly 90 per cent of the IKEA product range and emits 98 per cent less CO₂ than modern diesel vans. For IKEA, it’s important to explore new ways to improve the service offer for the customers, both from a more sustainable, affordable and accessible perspective. The solar-powered cargo bike does all that”, says Helene Davidsson, Sustainability Manager, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.

The company has 3 priorities – affordability, accessibility and sustainability. The change in shopping patterns, especially the increase in the share of e-commerce orders is a key area the company is closely watching and hence, deliveries become even more critical. “We want to meet more people, and many of our future customers will live in cities with limited access to transportation. This challenge provides a great opportunity to explore new ways of making our products available. The solar-powered cargo bike will be a valuable addition to last-mile service, as it offers a quiet, emission-free alternative that can also bypass traffic congestion”, says Helene Davidsson.

With an ambition to turn climate positive by reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than the IKEA value chain emits by 2030, moving towards greener ways of operations is an important approach for the global chain who reported sales of over USD 45 Bn.

IKEA offers functional, affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. Today, 12 different groups of companies own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.