DPD UK is set to take delivery of 341 new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric vans in September, taking its total UK electric vehicle fleet to more than 4,000, the company has announced.
The new vans will be deployed within the M25 – London’s orbital motorway – and across the UK. The first vehicles will enter service in September, with all 341 scheduled to be operational by the end of October, ahead of what DPD expects to be a record peak Christmas period.
DPD said the investment supports its aim to be the UK’s leader in sustainable delivery. In 2025, the company delivered more than 85 million parcels using electric vehicles, including a predominantly diesel-free final-mile service within London’s North and South Circular roads. DPD is also involved in a low-carbon rail logistics trial with GoExpress on the West Coast Main Line.
Olly Craughan, head of sustainability at DPD UK, said, “Large panel vans are the workhorse of our final-mile operation, so the new eSprinters will give us the capability we need to support far more lower-emission deliveries over a wider area. Our EV fleet currently operates in more than 7,300 postcodes across the UK, largely focused on inner city locations where we are able to increase the benefits of operating electric vehicles through a decrease in air pollution. The eSprinters can carry the same payload as the equivalent 3.5t Diesel, while the new battery technology and improved range mean more of our depots can start deploying larger EVs further afield.”
Craughan added that DPD’s electrification efforts began in 2018 with the UK’s first all-electric parcel delivery depot.
The new vans will be supported by the Mercedes-Benz CompleteCare repair and maintenance service, intended to maximize uptime.
Iain Forsyth, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said, “In a fast-moving business landscape, it’s becoming increasingly vital for businesses like DPD, operating at scale, to need partnerships that ensure vans remain operational to meet customer demands. DPD delivers seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, so it feels good to have their back and really deliver for them.”
In related news, Bpost orders double-deck trailers to boost parcel capacity