Royal Mail is to add 3,000 electric vans to its delivery fleet, effectively growing its zero-tailpipe emissions fleet by a factor of 10. The new vehicles will be firstly deployed in cities with ultra-low emissions zones.

According to the postal operator it already has the lowest carbon emissions per delivery of any carrier in the country, and this investment is set to reduce those emissions even further.

As part of the plans it is adding charging infrastructure to the sites where the EV vans will be deployed.

Simon Thompson, CEO of Royal Mail said: “Due to our feet on the street delivery model, we are the clear leader in low emissions per parcel in the UK. Electrification of our vehicle fleet will strengthen our advantage. That’s good for our customers, our people & the planet. We look forward to working with vehicle manufacturers and government to increase supply so we can accelerate our transition to electric vehicles in the UK. It matters to our customers, and it matters to us.”

The UK’s Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng commented: “I am sure customers will be delighted to know that that while their local postie’s van may be red on the outside, it’s greener than ever at heart. The UK is leading the world in tackling climate change, and action like this from UK businesses will be crucial as we look to build back greener from the pandemic.”