Austrian Post has rolled out its 5,000th e-vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, meaning that 50% of its delivery vehicle fleet is now e-drive and CO2-free thanks to the use of electricity from renewable energy sources.
Austrian Post has a goal of achieving nationwide CO2-free last-mile delivery by 2030 and is purchasing more than 1,000 additional e-vehicles every year.
“With our 5,000th e-vehicle, we have broken a sound barrier and, with Mercedes-Benz, we have a strong European partner on board who is actively supporting us on our way to CO2-free last-mile delivery,” explained Peter Umundum, deputy CEO for parcel and logistics at Österreichische Post.
“We have big plans for this year,” he continued. “In addition to the nationwide switch to e-mobility in Vienna, we will also be deploying the first e-vehicles in mountainous regions, giving our customers a real advantage.”
Austrian Post already produces some of the electricity required for charging the e-vehicles. It operates photovoltaic plants with a capacity of more than 18 megawatts peak (MWp) at 32 locations throughout Austria. This means that it has increased the proportion of its own electricity supply from renewable energy sources to over 20% and operates the largest portfolio of rooftop systems in Austria. It only purchases green electricity from Austria.