Abstract

Hydrogen-powered cargo bikes are gaining increasing attention in the framework of urban logistics, thanks to their enhanced agility to travel and park in congested areas, low carbon footprint, and extended traveling range. Nevertheless, deploying a fleet of hydrogen-powered cargo bikes can be challenging, necessitating the parallel assessment of the operation of the fleet, the H2 refueling strategy, and eventually the design of the respective refueling infrastructure. The objective of this article is to demonstrate a systematic methodological framework for deriving strategic insights into the deployment of a fleet of cargo bikes equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell unit. Employing advanced longitudinal-based vehicle mathematical modeling, coupled with statistical techniques, the energy consumption of the vehicle was analyzed under a broad spectrum of operating conditions. Moreover, the refueling strategy was analyzed for different ranges of vehicle fleets, and enhanced options for designing the respective hydrogen stations were charted. Ultimately, this work provides strategic insights that could be used by cargo bike fleet operators and H2 refueling infrastructure designers.

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