Rethinking the last mile: How electric logistics can transform our cities

In the past few years, the way we shop and get goods has changed a lot. Online shopping and on-demand deliveries are now part of our daily lives, with millions of packages moving through our streets every single day. This is super convenient, but it also puts new pressure on our cities. 

More vans and motorcycles crowd the roads, traffic slows to a crawl, and the air gets harder to breathe. This "last mile", that journey from a distribution center to someone's door, has become the most expensive, polluting, and inefficient part of the entire delivery chain. 

If we want cities that are not just efficient, but also healthier and fairer, it’s time to rethink the last mile. 

Courier on an cargo bike delivering packages

Why electric mobility is so important 

Instead of relying on heavy, polluting vehicles, cities are now looking at smaller, smarter, and cleaner options. Electric cargo bikes, scooters, and three-wheelers are proving that goods can move quickly and reliably, without adding noise and fumes to our neighborhoods. 

The benefits are clear: 

• Cleaner air and quieter streets, which just makes life better for everyone. 

• More efficiency in crowded areas, where smaller vehicles can get around faster than big vans. 

• Greater safety and flexibility, with deliveries that adapt better to city life. 

  
  

But electric logistics isn't just about swapping out one vehicle for another. It forces us to ask a bigger question: what kind of cities do we actually want to live in? 

Electric mobility today: driving urban transformation

Stories from the ground 

Around the world, projects are already showing us what this shift looks like in real life. Some great examples are initiatives led by UEMI: 

• Quito, Ecuador (E-Moviliza and E-Warmi): Women couriers are delivering packages on electric bikes and scooters. Beyond just reducing emissions, the project is breaking down barriers in a sector long dominated by men, proving that sustainability and inclusion can move forward together. 

• Marrakech, Morocco (BOOST): Fleets of electric motorcycles are helping local businesses cut costs and operate more sustainably. These initiatives show that clean logistics can be practical, scalable, and good for the local economy. 

  
  

These examples are a great reminder that progress isn’t just some future promise, it’s happening right here, right now. 

Beyond vehicles: inclusion and opportunity

At the heart of the last mile are the people who keep it all moving. For many delivery workers, this means long hours, low pay, and not many chances to grow. Rethinking logistics also means rethinking how to better support the people who make it all possible. 

Electric mobility projects are starting to address this. Training programs open doors to new skills. Fair financing makes e-vehicles more accessible. Partnerships with local companies create more stable income. And when women are included, the benefits ripple out across entire communities. 

For Norma Chicaiza, a courier driver at Urbano Envíos, an E-Moviliza partner, this change feels both personal and necessary: 

“Sometimes women come to me and ask, ‘Does your company hire women?’ And I always say yes. I give them the address and encourage them to apply. I tell them the truth—it’s hard at first. But we support each other, especially among women.” 

Building cleaner cities 

For years, the last mile has been seen mainly as a problem: expensive, inefficient, and polluting. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Electric logistics offers a chance to turn that challenge into a real opportunity, to create cities that not only deliver goods, but also deliver cleaner air, safer streets, and better jobs. 

The best part? This future, step by step, in cities all over the world, it’s already taking shape.