Belgian postal operator bpost has announced that more than 40% of its branded vehicles are now electric, in line with the company’s strategy to cut carbon emissions by 55% below 2019 levels by 2030.
Last year, bpost added 46 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) trucks, more than 500 electric vans, and 275 e-trailers for use with electric bikes to its fleet. It also added 300 new pickup points to the existing network across Belgium, including new parcel lockers at 200 locations. In total bpost offers 2,800 pickup points (including post offices, post points, parcel points and parcel lockers). By 2030 there will be some 4,000 pickup points across Belgium, meaning everyone in the country will be able to pick up or drop off their parcels at a point near to them.
To date, bpost has created five fully fledged Ecozones in partnership with the local authorities in Mons, Namur, Louvain-la-Neuve, Mechelen and Leuven. bpost also makes zero-emission letter and parcel deliveries with its green fleet in Brussels (postcode area 1000), Bruges and part of Antwerp.
Moving forward, bpost will continue to invest in its green fleet with a total of 1,700 new electric vans set to be added. This includes 400 electric vans in the first quarter of 2023 and 10 double deck trailers (DDT) set for delivery by the summer of 2023, some of which will be equipped with solar panels. Another 300 electric vans have already been ordered with a further 950 electric vans to be ordered in early 2023.
Bpost is also set to procure its first electric truck in 2023.
Chris Vansnick, director group sustainability, bpost, said, “Sustainable development, particularly sustainable city logistics, is an integral part of bpost group’s long-term vision and strategy. bpost is willing and able to blaze a trail in sustainable city logistics in Belgium. We continue to make huge investments in this field.”