Royal Mail trials EVs in London
The Royal Mail has begun testing electric vehicles (EVs). For one year, the company will use nine prototype vehicles from EV manufacturing firm Arrival to carry mail. The vehicles will begin delivering packages in December, with charging stations installed at delivery offices. The vans have been designed to run for 100 miles, producing zero emissions. The final version of the vehicle will be capable of autonomous travel.

Arrival

The Royal Mail has a fleet of around 49,000 vehicles. On a daily basis these are used to transport mail from individual post boxes and offices to sorting centres, distribution locations and finally the recipients they're intended to be delivered to.

Read more: This electric truck can be built by just one person in four hours

Now, as vehicle manufacturers around the world are concentrating on cleaner vehicles, the Royal Mail is going electric.

The limited trial, taking place for one year, will use nine prototype trucks from Banbury-based Arrival. The firm, formerly known as Charge Auto, is owned by the creators of the ambitious autonomous racing series Roborace.

From today 3.5, 6, and 7.5 tonne trucks will be used in London – operating out of the Mount Pleasant depot – to move packages between mail distribution centres in the city and the local area. In a statement, Paul Gatti, Royal Mail Fleet’s managing director, said the vehicles will be used for mail collection from its larger sites.