Some 2,100 electric vans have been supplied by Peugeot to Royal Mail as part of its long-term partnership with the delivery firm.
The move includes 1,000 British-built E-Partner vans with the vehicles due to hit the streets this week and the first Royal Mail electric vans to bear the cypher of King Charles III.
The manufacturer was appointed to supply Royal Mail’s latest tranche of electric vans, which the company announced in July would be added to the fleet in time for the festive peak.
The E-Partner vans are built at Ellesmere Port, which is one of the UK’s first EV-only volume manufacturing plants. In addition, the brand is also supplying 1,000 fully-electric E-Expert vans as part of the deal.
Peugeot has supplied Royal Mail with vehicles since 2009, and electric vans since 2014, when it delivered the first E-Partner to the delivery firm.
The latest deal is part of the Royal Mail strategy to achieve net zero by 2040. It estimates the new vehicles will reduce total emissions by around 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year when fully operational. The company has also introduced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to fuel its HGV fleet, which produces up to 90% less direct carbon emissions than diesel.
In addition, the new vans will be charged on-site at Royal Mail’s delivery offices via the company’s 100% renewable electricity supply.
Eurig Druce, Group Managing Director – Stellantis UK & Managing Director – Peugeot UK, said:
“Peugeot is proud to continue supplying electric vans to Royal Mail, a partnership that has been ongoing since 2009, which is testament to the quality and reliability of our vehicles. Peugeot’s electric vans are built in Britain for an iconic British brand and we will continue to uphold this historic partnership and support Royal Mail’s electrification ambitions.
“Peugeot is equally committed to the electric transition, with the widest all-electric vehicle line-up of any mainstream European brand, while our leadership in electric van sales is proof of our technology and innovation in this market.”
Greg Sage, Royal Mail’s Deputy Director for Corporate Affairs and ESG, said:
“We’re proud that our latest tranche of electric vehicles has been produced at Peugeot’s Ellesmere Port plant. This is an important part of our work to expand the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet and to remain the UK’s greenest delivery company.”
Image courtesy of Royal Mail
