Royal Mail has launched a new fleet of more than 100 micro electric vehicles (MEVs) which will be rolled out across the UK for the peak Christmas period.
The first MEV was unveiled at Saturday’s Lady Mayor’s Show in London. In the coming weeks, 104 MEVs will be rolled out in London, Bristol, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Solihull, Brighton and the Scilly Isles.
Replacing 52 larger vans, the MEV fleet is expected to save around 242 tonnes of carbon emissions annually and improve local air quality, while also making delivery rounds more efficient.
The vehicle’s company design allows them to drive and park easily in busy streets. Postal workers will have their own MEV instead of sharing a van, streamlining route planning and speeding up deliveries, the firm added.
Unlike standard electric vans, MEVs can be plugged into a regular three-pin plug socket for charging. As they do not need special EV charging infrastructure, they can be used at any delivery office, even sites that were previously ruled out due to limited yard space or electricity capacity.
Royal Mail initially trialled MEVs in 2021, but this is the first time they have been rolled out at scale. The company will use a combination of Paxster and Neomar D01 models in its fleet.
In June, Royal Mail announced a strong reduction in its average carbon emissions per parcel delivered, already one of the lowest in the industry, by a fifth (20%) in the past year. The company has pledged to reach Net-Zero by 2040 as part of its ‘Steps to Zero’ environment strategy and has set interim targets to 2030.
In May, Royal Mail unveiled its 7,000th electric vehicle, and announced it would invest in 1,800 more electric vans and supporting charging infrastructure over the next year.
Mark Riley, Delivery Design Manager (Process and Equipment) at Royal Mail, said:
“Our new micro electric vehicles are a smart solution for delivering more sustainably and efficiently, especially in busy urban areas.
“By replacing larger vans with MEVs, we’re cutting emissions, improving air quality, and helping our posties deliver faster in time for the festive season.”
Image courtesy of Royal Mail
