Plug-in electrics join Royal Mail fleet

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Tuesday 22 August 2017

Royal Mail is to trial nine electric vehicles from Oxfordshire-based start-up company Arrival, which was formerly known as Charge Auto.

The vehicles for Royal Mail are designed for 3.5, 6 and 7.5-tonne gross weights. They appear to be based on a Fuso chassis-cab. Claimed to be capable of running on their internal batteries for up to 100 miles, they are equipped with range-extender engines.

Initially, they will work in London, transporting mail from the Mount Pleasant hub to distribution points around the city on a one-year trial period.

Arrival has a 110,000 sq ft factory in Banbury, said to be capable of building 50,000 vehicles a year in a robotised process. The price is said to be “competitive with diesel trucks”. The company said it had developed its own batteries and drivelines.

Royal Mail has also ordered 100 electric home-delivery vans from Peugeot.

The Partner L2 plug-in vans will be based at depots nationwide from December, and Royal Mail is currently installing charging points at those locations.

Royal Mail operates one of the UK’s largest vehicle fleets, consisting of over 47,000 cars, vans and trucks.