DPD UK has agreed a deal with Ford for 1,000 E-Transit vans this year, which will take the parcel delivery firm’s EV fleet to more than 2,500 in total.
The company has purchased the 3.5t, 135kwh, long wheelbase E-Transit with 12.4 cubic metres of load space that will operate from its depots across the UK.
DPD announced the deal at Fully Charged Live, the clean energy and electric vehicle show at Farnborough, where an E-Transit in its livery was centre-stage on the firm’s eco-exhibition stand.
It will take delivery of the first of them in May.
DPD opened the UK’s first all-electric parcel delivery depot in Westminster in 2018.
In October 2020, DPD announced plans to deliver to 25 of the largest towns and cities in the UK with zero and low-emission delivery means by 2023.
The company operates more than 10,000 vehicles from 84 locations and delivers more 400 million parcels a year.
Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability, DPD UK said, “Getting our hands on the electric Ford Transit feels like a really big moment – 3.5t vans are the workhorse of any delivery fleet, and we are no different.
“We’ve said all along that we need the main commercial van manufacturers to step-up with affordable models and largescale production of right-hand drive vans to really get the EV revolution going in the UK.
“And Ford have done just that. The E-Transit is well priced, has a good range and comes with all the support you would expect from Ford.
“People really appreciate what we are doing with electric vehicles and all our other green initiatives. It is the same with our big retail customers too.
“They want to see their parcels delivered on green DPD vans, because they know their customers really appreciate it too.”
Not sure this is entirely positive. All the 139 EV buses in Paris are off the road after two caught fire in service. At least the passengers could all get out.
In a parcel delivery service, if the van catches fire, the parcels will be lost – in all probability! Wonder what the insurance increase is, to cover that risk???