DPD UK increases last-mile deliveries with electric vans

DPD UK has electrified a third of its delivery van fleet, the parcel company says. It is thus on target to lower emissions by 46 per cent by the end of the year compared to 2020.

In addition, the CEP provider says it will employ an additional 350 all-electric Ford Transits during peak season, meaning by mid-November. It will bring the number of electric vans to nearly 4,000. DPD also points out that 90 per cent of last mile deliveries from the “new flagship London sortation centre in Bromley-By-Bow, Docklands” are made with electric vehicles.

“While our fully validated Net Zero target remains 2040, we are working hard to bring through as much change and innovation as possible right now and, as these figures show, we are on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target and are making a real difference already,” says Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability DPDgroup UK. “There will be harder challenges down the line, we are well aware of that, but we will continue to work with the best in the sustainability space and invest in the innovation required to get to where we want to be.”

However, DPD UK still uses Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil – in other words, biofuels. It says that 95 per cent of its transport fleet is running on HVO, “which reduces emissions by 83% compared to traditional diesel.” In other countries like Switzerland, it already uses electric trucks or transports parcels via an electrified railroad route. Globally, the parcel company wants to be net zero by 2040.

According to DPD, it operates more than 10,000 vehicles and 85 locations in the UK. And it delivers over 400 million parcels per year there. According to its sustainability website, it has already made 45.455.091 electric deliveries this year.

dpd.co.uk