The Royal Mail, the United Kingdom’s postal service, has reached a significant milestone with the deployment of its 4,000th electric delivery van from its Blackpool office. In the coming months, the Blackpool site will continue to expand its fleet of electric vehicles, with all delivery and collection functions to be operated by EVs.
As part of the organization’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint, the Royal Mail has been expanding its fleet of electric vans. The goal is to become net zero by 2024. Additionally, the organization aims to reduce its average carbon emissions per parcel delivery within the UK from 205gCO2e to 50gCO2e.
Last summer, the Royal Mail announced plans to grow its fleet of e-delivery vans, with Peugeot supplying 2,000 new e-Expert and e-Partner vehicles. By the end of spring, the delivery giant hopes to have 5,000 electric vans within its fleet.
Currently, over 100 delivery offices across the UK have transitioned to using either all or partially electric vehicles for deliveries and collections. Six delivery offices have fully electric fleets, and Norwich is set to join that list later this month.
“The new vans will become a familiar sight on the streets of Blackpool and our posties are really excited about doing their bit to reduce air and noise pollution in the town,” said Neil Barritt, Blackpool customer office manager.
“As a company, we pride ourselves with having the lowest reported CO2e emissions per parcel amongst major UK delivery companies and showcasing the way to achieving a more sustainable future for our fleet & our planet.”
According to Royal Mail, electric vans have fewer maintenance needs and offer increased time on the road and dependability. These vehicles can travel up to 130 miles per charge, depending on factors such as the specific vehicle, weather conditions, and cargo size.
Additionally, electric vans have a 38% larger cargo area than traditional gasoline or diesel vans, allowing them to handle a larger volume of packages.
