Pizzas with pedal power

New Zealand will be swarmed by a horde from HELL next week, as the pizza company unleashes its new fleet of 40 zero-emission electric delivery bikes. Prior to heading off for work at stores around the country, ten of the new bikes will tour Wellington’s CBD tomorrow lunchtime with free, freshly cooked pizza for hungry passers-by.

HELL General Manager Ben Cumming said that the company's latest initiative was decided independently of, but chimed well with, the government's recently revised 'Zero Carbon Bill'.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to serve our customers, and it is doubly pleasing when these initiatives can work for the broader benefit of the whole country,” said Mr Cumming.

“Following the successful launch last year of our first two e-bikes at HELL Victoria Street in Auckland’s CBD, we are excited to now expand the service to stores where we believe it will add value.

“As well as cutting emissions from our delivery service, the new e-bikes will hopefully prove to be a faster way in congested areas of getting our pizzas where they need to be – in the hands of our customers."

The new e-bikes will be dispatched to selected stores in HELL’s 71-franchise network, with factors such as heavy traffic, lack of parking, scale of area, and frequency of customer orders taken into account.
No licence is required to ride an e-bike, however all e-bike delivery staff will receive training and be provided with high-vis clothing to ensure their safety and the safety of others while out on the road.
The Wellington event will take place on Thursday 25 January, starting in Thorndon at 11am and finishing in Oriental Bay at 2pm. Regular updates and photos will be posted by HELL on its Facebook page.

The e-bike evolution

Electric bikes (e-bikes) have become increasingly popular in recent years. The Electric Bike World Report estimates a growth to 2 billion by 2050, up from the 200 million said to be pedalling across the globe today.

Their popularity springs from several key concerns: climate change (e-bikes have zero on-road carbon emissions), ever-increasing traffic congestion and personal well-being.

Using lightweight lithium battery technology, they combine some of the flexibility and health benefits of road cycling with the speed of an electric motor - up to 45kph – meaning that commuters and deliveries can be carried further and faster, with less effort.

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