Royal Mail has deployed its first fleet of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) as part of its plan to cut emissions across its national logistics network and progress toward its 2040 net zero target.
Eight 42 metric ton DAF XD 350E trucks have entered service at the company’s Midlands Parcel Hub in Daventry and its North West Parcel Hub in Warrington. The vehicles will operate on middle-mile routes between parcel hubs and mail centers, running continuously throughout the day.
To support the new fleet, Royal Mail has installed ABB T360 high-power chargers at both locations. The chargers can deliver up to 96km of additional range in under 15 minutes. The infrastructure has been installed through Royal Mail’s involvement in Electric Freightway, a Gridserve-led consortium backed by more than £100m (US$132m) of public and private investment.
Royal Mail expects the introduction of the eHGVs to reduce its annual carbon emissions by around 1,000 metric tons. The move builds on the company’s existing electrification program, which includes more than 7,000 electric delivery vans charged using 100% renewable electricity.
Electric Freightway forms part of the UK government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) program, which aims to deploy around 300 battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell trucks and more than 70 charging or refueling sites by March 2026. The consortium will create a nationwide network of more than 200 ultra-rapid chargers supporting over 140 electric trucks. Data collected over five years will be used to help shape the UK’s freight-sector decarbonization strategy.
Nick Dunn, Royal Mail’s national distribution and fleet director, said, “Introducing electric HGVs into our network is a major milestone in decarbonizing our operations and achieving our net zero target. This is an important first step in learning how we can efficiently integrate eHGVs into our operations across the country. We’re combining cutting-edge vehicle technology with high-speed charging infrastructure, made possible by Electric Freightway, which will transform how we deliver across long distances.”
Gridserve commercial lead Sam Clarke said the charging hubs added “critical infrastructure” for freight decarbonization in the Midlands and North West regions.
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