Royal Mail has reached another milestone in its transition to lower-emission transport, introducing its 9,000th electric van at Colchester Delivery Office.
The company, which says it now operates the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet, began electrifying its vehicles in 2017 with an initial order for 100 electric vans.
Nearly a third of Royal Mail delivery routes are now zero-emission, with 44 delivery offices operating fully electric fleets. More than 120 electric vans are based at Colchester alone.
Stuart Murphy, Royal Mail head of fleet transformation, said: “Reaching 9,000 electric vehicles is a major milestone as we work to transform our fleet.
“This shift is helping us cut emissions while delivering a better service for our customers, with quieter, cleaner deliveries in communities across the UK.”
An evolving transition
The latest milestone forms part of a wider transition strategy that has previously seen Royal Mail turn to HVO as an immediate route to reducing emissions from heavier vehicles.
Royal Mail began introducing HVO into its HGV fleet in 2023, describing the renewable fuel as a transitional solution while electric and hydrogen alternatives for larger vehicles developed. By May 2024, more than 10 million litres had been used across six major sites, with the company reporting savings of over 30,000 tonnes of CO2e.
That transition is continuing to evolve. Royal Mail introduced its first electric HGVs in December and is also rolling out more than 100 micro electric vehicles, alongside a fleet of 20 e-cargo cycles for urban deliveries.
The company is targeting Net Zero by 2040.
Image provided by Royal Mail