One major vision for light electric vehicles is for them to take over much of the delivery infrastructure in towns and cities. Replacing massive diesel-powered Sprinter and Transit vans with small, clean, quiet electric urban delivery vehicles makes a lot of sense.
The Royal Mail is taking the plunge, commissioning a new fleet of the Norwegian-built Paxster. The importer, BOSS Off-Road Vehicles, has announced a 100+ sales deal of Paxster’s micro electric vehicles (MEVs) to the UK’s postal service provider, as part of its drive to reach net zero emissions by 2040, while speeding up deliveries.
Royal Mail initially trialled MEVs in 2021, but this is the first time they have been rolled out at scale. The first phase of operation sees 52 full-sized vans being replaced by micro electric vehicles operating in urban areas, including London, Bristol, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Brighton. The postal service says the change will reduce CO₂ emissions by around 242 tonnes annually, while improving air quality and delivery flow in dense urban areas.
Aleksander Säfvenbom, MD at Paxster AS, said: “Royal Mail conducted extensive trials of multiple MEVs before selecting Paxster. Their decision to scale with our vehicles confirms that the Paxster platform meets the real operational needs of postal fleets: easy charging from standard sockets, excellent manoeuvrability, safety, security, comfort for the driver, and low cost of ownership.”
“Many operators face the same reality as Royal Mail. They need to deliver faster, cleaner, and more efficiently in increasingly crowded cities. MEVs are becoming a vital tool in achieving that balance between sustainability, productivity, and profitability.”
More information on Paxster is available from BOSS ORV: www.bossorv.co.uk.