The iconic red postal service is testing a new fleet of electric vehicles as part of its plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Electric Cars
Australia Post is trialling its largest new fleet of electric vans in metropolitan areas of its delivery network to date.
There are 36 brand new Mercedes-Benz eVito vans joining the AusPost fleet, which already quotes more than 5000 electric vehicles – including electric motorbikes, e-bikes, trucks, and delivery vans – currently in operation.
The postal service says the eVitos are powered by renewable energy through its existing charging infrastructure at its bases, and wear unique branding to denote their electric powertrain.
The showroom-specification eVito is rated with a 283km driving range from a 60kWh battery and 85kW/360Nm electric motor, and is priced from $98,951 before on-road costs and other modifications including AusPost's red livery.
An Australian Post spokesperson told Drive it purchased the vans outright from Mercedes-Benz, rather than receiving them on loan from the manufacturer.
If the vehicles were purchased at retail price, it would mean an upfront cost of at least $3.5 million for this fleet alone.
The cost is part of its "investment in electric vans is part of a broader package of sustainability initiatives to support the lowering [of] our emissions footprint," the spokesperson told Drive.
Australia Post says this fleet is well-suited for the stop-start driving completed by its vans in cities, with Chief Sustainability Officer, Richard Pittard, noting in a media statement that the rollout of electric vans is becoming more important as e-commerce continues to grow.
“The introduction of electric vans is an important milestone in our fleet electrification and decarbonisation strategy,” Pittard said.
“With more Australians shopping online than ever before, we’re delivering more parcels every day and we know we need to find more sustainable ways to do it.
“This is our largest electric van trial to date. It’s a meaningful step forward as we continue building a modern, sustainable delivery network that meets the evolving needs of our customers while reducing our environmental impact.”
The fleet will roll out over the upcoming months, and Mercedes-Benz is set to train AusPost drivers on the vehicles.
AusPost rolled out its first electric vehicles in 2019, and last year deployed 175 electric motorbikes.
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Ilana is a Melbourne-based journalist who was previously a copywriter in the Big Apple. Having moved to Melbourne for her Master of Journalism, she has written articles about food, farm machinery, fashion, and now the fast and furious. Her dream car has been a Mini Cooper since the fifth grade, eyeing its style and petite size.
