Royal Mail seals huge electric van deal with Peugeot

Under the deal, Royal Mail plans to deploy more than half of its new Peugeot electric vans in time for the Christmas peak period. 

The company had around 5,000 electric vans in operation as of July 2024, said to be the UK’s largest EV delivery fleet. Royal Mail estimates that the new vehicles will reduce total emissions by around 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year when fully operational.

The business announced earlier this year that it was boosting its fleet of vans and HGVs in line with its move to stop using its fleet of mail trains as of October 2024 and to halve air freight, improving cost-effectiveness and reducing emissions.

Royal Mail has also introduced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to fuel many of its heavy goods vehicles. A renewable alternative to diesel, HVO produces up to 90% less direct carbon emissions compared to diesel.

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.”

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