Sustainable last-mile delivery

Sustainable last-mile delivery is the set of logistics strategies that aim to reduce the environmental impact of the final delivery leg, the one that takes a product from the last distribution point to the customer's home or pickup point. It is the most visible link in e-commerce and also one of the most critical in terms of cost and emissions.

The last mile accounts for a very high share of the total cost of delivery logistics. The reason is its fragmentation: many small, scattered deliveries, with constant stops, failed drops and vehicles moving through congested urban environments. That same fragmentation makes it the most emission-intensive stretch per parcel and a priority target for cutting the carbon footprint of transport.

Why the last mile is so intensive

Unlike long-haul transport, which moves large volumes relatively efficiently, the last mile delivers loose units. Each stop means starting and braking, hunting for parking and, often, repeating the delivery. On top of this comes the rise of e-commerce, which multiplies the number of individual shipments and increases pressure on cities.

Levers of sustainable last-mile delivery

Optimising this stretch combines technology, infrastructure and new delivery formats:

• Electric vehicles and cargo bikes: electric vans and e-cargo bikes for dense areas, where they are fast, agile and produce zero direct emissions. Their rollout relies on fleet energy efficiency.
• Urban microhubs: small consolidation centres near city centres from which final delivery is carried out with light vehicles, reducing the kilometres travelled.
• Route optimisation: software that groups deliveries and calculates the most efficient routes to minimise distance, time and consumption.
• Lockers and convenience points: automated lockers and store networks that bundle several deliveries into a single point, reducing failed deliveries and trips.

Returns logistics is also part of the equation: good reverse logistics avoids unnecessary journeys and improves the use of each route.

The link with low-emission zones

Urban delivery is increasingly shaped by low-emission zones (LEZs), delimited areas where the most polluting vehicles are restricted to improve air quality. In Spain, the 2021 climate change and energy transition law requires municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants to establish LEZs, with a 2022 royal decree developing the rules. For urban freight distribution, this accelerates fleet electrification and the use of solutions such as cargo bikes and microhubs.

A stretch connected to the whole chain

The last mile is not managed in isolation: it is part of a sustainable supply chain in which network design, warehouse location and vehicle type determine final emissions. It also fits within a broader sustainable transport strategy covering the entire distribution cycle.

Measure and reduce your delivery footprint with Manglai

At Manglai we help you quantify your logistics emissions, identify where the last-mile hotspots are and prioritise the measures with the greatest environmental return. Discover how Manglai can help you make your distribution cleaner and more efficient.