Four important companies in the local market join the Green Fleet Plan, developed by the MOVÉS project.
Pedidos ya, Acodike (Smart Green Uruguay), Ingener and Auxicar (Grupo Novelli) are the pioneering companies that bet on a future where mobility is more sustainable. With this intention arises their adherence to the Green Fleet Plan, an initiative that seeks to support any company that has utility vehicles, in particular delivery, urban transport and last-mile logistics, in order to accompany them in the process of transforming their fleets towards more efficient and sustainable solutions.
The purpose of this Plan, which has three stages (Diagnosis, Action Plan and Follow-up), is to support the carrying out of an analysis, by the company, of the feasibility and benefits associated with the replacement of vehicles in its fleet by more efficient and sustainable options. As part of this support, an introduction is provided to what is called the Ecosystem for the Promotion of Sustainable Mobility: information on the incentives provided by public and private institutions to promote replacement.
According to Guillermo Novelli, executive director of the Novelli Group, the axis where Auxicar operates: “the way of bringing the company closer to a detailed analysis of the impact that fleet replacement can have on an economic level is fundamental. Normally there is a lot of information that companies do not have measurements about and it is an obstacle for decision making, if you do not know the amount of km you travel or the operational cost of acquiring the vehicle, the evaluation is difficult and that is often the main obstacle not to start the path of fleet replacement. The support that can be given by the state and the ministry is fundamental, generating all the possible tools to demystify everything that has to do with electric mobility and show the entrepreneur a path that is viable and economically profitable.” Auxicar began the transition last year, acquiring some small vehicles and incorporating four electric trucks for towing and transfer services this year, thanks to the benefits of COMAP. Traveling approximately 1 million km per year, Auxicar seeks to mitigate the impact of its fleet by trying to fully electrify it by the end of 2022.
Some of the elements of the Ecosystem for the Promotion of Sustainable Mobility are:
- Tax benefits from the investment law (COMAP)
- Green loans from financial institutions (at participating local banks)
- Subsidies and support for MIPyMES on these credits (ANDE)
- Total liability insurance with promotional rates (BSE)
- Subsidized number plate
- Possibility of requesting non-reimbursable financing for MIEM technical evaluation studies in its DINAPYME and DNE / DAEE Directorates
- Possible funds from MIEM / DNE Energy Efficiency Certificates, which allow a monetary income for implemented energy efficiency measures
- Free electric utility vehicle testing for one month provided by MOVÉS
Pedidos ya also started its approach to sustainable mobility last year, participating in the free tests of electric vehicles also carried out by the MOVÉS project. Since then they have incorporated some electrical units. Carlos Arboleya, Manager of Logistics in Pedidos ya, explains that “the biggest impact is how to make those who provide their services make the change because that is really going to be the critical mass. Being able to demonstrate it to them, give benefits and make financial synergies that can really make these vehicles available is great; because it helps them to close the equation and the rest of the people who are going to see a lot of bicycles in the background instead of motorcycles that make noise and generate emissions, which is one of the things that worries us the most.”
The MOVÉS project invited these four pioneering companies to test an application that the IDB is developing called eMisiónCero, which seeks to simulate the route of an electric vehicle based on the normal route of the combustion vehicle, providing real and precious data so that companies can then contemplate in their analysis.
Engineer Carolina Bada, in charge of Ingener’s R&D, commented on her experience: “after we did the technological tests, we submitted to the COMAP project and for next year two electric vehicles and a cart will be purchased. This is going to be a great challenge because we serve clients all over the country, and it is very good that we can work together and not do it alone. For Ingener, being part of and working towards electric mobility is very important and I think this synergy between companies is good to share experiences and we are very happy to be able to participate in the Green Fleet Plan.”
MOVÉS is a project financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), its implementing agency is the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and is executed by Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM), the Ministry of the Environment (MA) and the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (MVOT), with the collaboration of the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI). Its objective is to promote more efficient and sustainable mobility.