Royal Mail Set to Road-Test Its Very First Electric Truck

Royal Mail is ramping up its green credentials, pushing ahead with a bold transition toward low-carbon delivery vehicles. The company has begun testing its first electric truck, a 19-tonne vehicle set to take on the streets of North West London. This marks a significant step forward, as Royal Mail has already deployed hundreds of electric vans. Still, this new trial with Magtec, an electric vehicle (EV) component specialist, is an exciting leap into larger-scale electrification.

With support from a £800,000 Innovate UK grant, the trial will assess the performance of this electric truck. Capable of covering up to 125 miles on a single charge, the truck is also designed to keep pace with highway speeds, hitting up to 56mph — a key feature for the company’s ambitious logistics needs. The truck’s cutting-edge battery system comprises five modular 60kWh packs, allowing for a full charge in three hours.

Royal Mail’s fleet innovation and environment manager, Anna Pearson, said: “We’re excited to welcome the Magtec truck to the Royal Mail fleet. We’ve been rolling out electric vans in our ‘final mile’ fleet for several years, and now we want to learn more about how we can decarbonise our national distribution fleet of over 4,000 trucks.

“This trial will help strengthen our position as the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet operator, while ensuring we have the reliability we need for the challenge of delivering to every single one of the UK’s 32 million addresses.”

This isn’t the first electric vehicle Royal Mail has introduced. Starting in 2017, the company bought its first batch of 100 electric vans, and today, more than 240 offices across the UK have integrated EVs into their fleets. These vehicles are powered by 100% renewable electricity generated on-site, underscoring Royal Mail's dedication to sustainability.

Royal Mail is set to expand its electric fleet even further. By the start of 2025, the company plans to deploy its 6,000th electric van. It announced a massive push in July 2024 to add 2,100 more EVs to its roster, bringing its fleet total to 7,100 electric vehicles. The expansion is expected to cut the company’s carbon emissions by approximately 6,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.

But it doesn't stop there. Royal Mail also adopts hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a renewable diesel alternative, in its heavy goods vehicles (HGVS). This innovation could reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, further bolstering its green initiatives.

These efforts are part of Royal Mail’s overarching strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Already, the company has slashed its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 18% over the past four years, with an ambitious target of a 50% reduction by 2030. With its proactive approach to electrification and sustainability, Royal Mail is undoubtedly driving the future of green logistics.