D.C. launches pilot program to try out electric cargo bikes for package delivery

The District Department of Transportation launched the MicroFreight DC Pilot Program on May 6 in partnership with Amazon, aiming to test quieter, lower-emission package deliveries to D.C. neighborhoods using electric cargo e-quads, according to DDOT.

During the 10-month pilot, Delivery Service Partners will deliver Amazon packages to District customers using a fleet of up to 15 battery-powered Honda Fastport e-quads, DDOT said. The four-wheeled vehicles are designed for neighborhood-scale deliveries and are intended to reduce the number of large delivery trucks operating on city streets.

Amazon is operating a microhub on a private surface parking lot that will serve as a package storage and loading zone to support e-quads deployed to nearby neighborhoods, DDOT said. The microhub model consolidates deliveries at a central point before last-mile distribution by cargo e-quad.

DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum said the initiative reflects the District’s efforts to support more sustainable and efficient freight delivery options while gathering data to help shape future policies governing cargo e-quads and microfreight operations.

The pilot program will operate in ZIP code 20003, including the Navy Yard, Capitol Hill and Hill East neighborhoods. All e-quads will be limited to a maximum speed of 15 mph and prohibited from operating or stopping on sidewalks, according to DDOT.

The program builds on DDOT’s 2023 Delivery Microhub Feasibility Study, which was developed with technical assistance from planning firm Nelson/Nygaard through the Transportation Planning Board’s Transportation Land-Use Connections program.

DDOT said the pilot will include ongoing monitoring and evaluation of operations, including delivery activity and vehicle usage, to help identify opportunities for safer and more efficient freight deliveries across the District. A final report is expected following the pilot’s conclusion in 2027.

The results of the pilot will help inform future efforts to reduce last-mile delivery impacts and guide potential operational parameters for cargo e-quads in the District, DDOT said. The agency also said businesses interested in operating delivery microhubs or cargo e-quads in the city may contact DDOT directly.

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