Royal Mail delivers its 9,000th electric van

Royal Mail has added its 9,000th electric van, marking a fleet milestone with considerably less exhaust attached.

The new red van joins more than 120 electric vehicles at Colchester Delivery Office. Across the country, nearly one-third of Royal Mail delivery routes are now zero-emission, while 44 delivery offices operate entirely electric fleets. The transition began with an order for 100 electric vehicles in 2017.

Vans are only part of the parcel. Royal Mail is rolling out more than 100 smaller electric vehicles in London, Bristol, Brighton and even the Isles of Scilly. It has also launched 20 e-cargo cycles for urban deliveries and introduced its first electric heavy goods vehicles. The company says electric vans can cost less to run and maintain than diesel equivalents, while making neighbourhood deliveries quieter and cleaner.

Royal Mail is aiming for net zero by 2040, ten years before the UK-wide target. Reaching that goal will require the harder work of cleaning up long-distance transport too, but 9,000 vans show this is no longer a tiny trial. This red fleet is steadily turning green!