NZ Post has announced that it will commit to partially funding electric vehicles for its delivery contractors, as part of a drive to become carbon neutral from 2030.
“After Covid-19, climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time and NZ Post is committed to making enduring and long-lasting change,” said NZ Post chief executive and Climate Change Coalition Steering Group member, David Walsh. “NZ Post already has the largest fleet of electric vehicles in the country, the Paxsters, but most of our delivery drivers are contractors – which means they own their own vehicles and businesses. For many, although an electric vehicle costs far less to run, the initial purchasing cost can be a barrier. Because of this, we’re making up to half a million dollars available each year to help our drivers invest in eco-friendly vans.”
Alongside the fund itself, NZ Post will be installing charging stations in its depots that drivers will have access to and is commissioning an independent Total Cost of Ownership research and advice report.
“We’re keen to financially support as many of our delivery contractors to get into electric vehicles as we can. We know that there isn’t an electric vehicle suitable for every type of delivery operation at the moment, which is why this incentive scheme will be in place until at least 25% of our contracted drivers are in electric vehicles. We’re aiming to reach this goal by 2025. This allows our contractors to take advantage of the bigger range of electric vans that will be coming into New Zealand over the next few years,” noted Walsh.