Austrian Post electrifies entire fleet

As the Austrian Post announces, it initially set the goal of procuring only electric vehicles for delivery starting in 2023. Due to progress and developments in the vehicle market, it can now implement this plan significantly earlier: From now on, the Austrian postal and logistics service provider will only order vehicles with electric drive for delivery. The company's fleet will grow by 800 additional electric vehicles this year alone in 2022. In the following year 2023, up to 1,300 more electric vehicles are expected to be added. The first tranche of the new electric vehicles has already been put into operation.

"From now on, we will no longer procure vehicles with combustion engines for delivery. Instead, we are investing over 80 million euros in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in 2022 and 2023. Progress and developments in the vehicle market allow us to significantly accelerate the ramp-up of our electric fleet. This commitment solidifies our position as the absolute pioneer of e-mobility in Austria," explains Peter Umundum, Board Member for Parcel & Logistics at Austrian Post AG.

With around 2,500 electric vehicles, including approximately 1,100 e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, e-mopeds, and e-trikes, as well as almost 1,400 e-transporters, Austrian Post claims to already have the largest electric fleet in the country. By 2030, the company aims to deliver emission-free across Austria.

Slightly Electrified: E-Cargobikes, E-Trikes, E-Vans

E-cargo bikes from Draisin and other solutions from manufacturers like Kyburz and Jet Flyer are suitable for smart city logistics in urban areas. For small trucks with a loading volume of around four cubic meters, the Post relies on manufacturers such as Citroën, Opel, Nissan, and Renault. Larger E-transporters with a loading volume of over eleven cubic meters come from MAN and Mercedes.

The E-vehicles now adopted by Peugeot have a loading volume of six cubic meters and significantly increased range, making them suitable for use in more rural areas. According to the Austrian Post, currently available vehicle models enable them to cover more than 90 percent of all delivery zones in the country purely electrically.

The Post states that their E-vehicles have proved their worth since 2011 in daily operations. Furthermore, they are ideal for start-stop operation and are extremely popular among the delivery personnel. The lifecycle cost of an E-vehicle is already cheaper for the Post compared to using an equivalent combustion engine vehicle. The company points to significantly lower wear and tear and reduced energy costs.