DPD has added a new type of electric van to its UK fleet, bringing its total electric fleet up to 600.
The 3.5-tonne trucks from vehicle manufacturer MAN are set to join DPD’s fleet when they are produced in June 2020.
Designed for use in inner-city deliveries, the vehicle has a load capacity of 10.7 cubic metres and a range of 65-70 miles. Its 36-kilowatt lithium ion battery can be fully charged in around five hours or rapid charged to 80% in 45 minutes.
The new vehicles fill a gap in the electric vehicle market. This size of vehicle has not until now been widely available with its steering wheel on the right-hand side for driving on UK roads.
DPD announced in January it will take delivery of 300 Nissan electric vehicles by May. The carrier has a target of 500 electric vehicles by the end of the year, which it now hopes to exceed. The Nissan e-NV200 can cover 124-187 miles on a single charge with 4.2 square metres of load space.
Dwain McDonald, DPD CEO (pictured, right), commented, “We’re building the largest all-electric delivery fleet in the UK, in double-quick time. The 3.5t van is absolutely core to our delivery and collection fleet strategy, so this is a big deal for us.
“It gives us huge efficiencies on the road in terms of route densities, but we’ve had to wait a long time for the first electric right-hand drive 3.5t vans. “
“We are urging other manufacturers to bring forward right-hand drive electrics as we can take far more. It isn’t just us demanding them, our retail customers have responded very positively to our new EV fleet and they want to be telling their customers about their green deliveries too. We are designing new ways of working to incorporate these vehicles into our operation, so they are transforming our business as well as contributing to cleaner air and less congestion.”
Thomas Hemmerich, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus UK (pictured, left) commented, “MAN Truck & Bus UK is delighted to have received an order of the first 100 eTGE right-hand drive units before the official UK Launch at the Birmingham CV Show this year, from our strategic partner DPD. We are thrilled to be leading the electric transformation of the UK 3.5t van market. With our eTGE van we are responding to the high customer demand and interest for these vehicles from the UK market.”
In a survey by Paragon Software Systems, only 18% of respondents had added alternative fuel vehicles to their fleets. This compared to 65% who had invested in the latest, less polluting, Euro 6 diesel vehicles and 29% in aerodynamic or double-deck trailers.
This came as 71% cited high capital cost of greener vehicles and 50% the lack of viable alternative fuel vehicles as reasons for not using them.
