Australia Post to trial electric vans

Renault’s 100 per cent electric-powered delivery vans will shortly join Australia Post’s fleet in Melbourne and Sydney.

The Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. (Zero Emission) electric van, currently not sold in Australia, is widely used across Europe and the United Kingdom and will be used exclusively by Australia Post from mid-2014 for a 12-month proof-of-concept.

Australia Post head of environmental sustainability Andrew Sellick said using the Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. for day-to-day parcel and letter deliveries is another exciting step in Australia Post’s sustainability journey and an important step in assessing the real-world use of electric commercial vehicles.

“The Kangoo Maxi Z.E. assessment is part of a broader strategy to explore alternative fuels at Australia Post, including using biofuel and hybrid vehicles in our current fleet.

“The electric vans will be powered by accredited GreenPower from renewable energy sources to ensure we are maximising the potential to reduce our environmental impact.

“The Kangoo proof-of-concept will give us a clearer picture of the benefits of using electric powered delivery vans. Through this assessment we expect to see at least a 50 per cent reduction in energy costs and a 100 per cent reduction in carbon emissions to comparable combustion-engine vehicles in our fleet.

“While at this stage we are working with Renault to prove this concept, if the vans perform well across the range of metrics, the future potential is very exciting. We hope this initiative will ultimately help drive the commercialisation and acceptance of electric vehicles in this country.”

Renault Australia’s managing director Justin Hocevar said: “Through our partnership with Australia Post, we are able to comprehensively investigate the business case for introducing the fully electric, Kangoo Z.E. van in Australia in the future.”

Some of the alternative fuel initiatives implemented across Australia Post’s network have included the roll-out of 740 electric bikes that have replaced motorbikes at various locations; more than 100 hybrid vehicles introduced to its fleet to replace existing six-cylinder vehicles, reducing emissions by over 30 per cent; 25 hybrid trucks introduced into StarTrack’s fleet of vehicles, improving fuel efficiency by 20 per cent improvement on average; and introducing 5 per cent bio-diesel to StarTrack’s fuel supply in 2012, an initiative that has saved approximately 820 tonnes of carbon.

Australia Post’s Port Melbourne Business Hub will receive two Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. vans mid-year, with the remaining two vans that are part of the 12-month assessment delivered to StarTrack House in Sydney by year-end. Charging stations at each location will be powered by accredited GreenPower sources.

The charging station at Australia Post’s Port Melbourne Business Hub is funded by the Victorian Government Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure.

Source: http://www.tandlnews.com.au/