The Australian Post has added the first of 20 electric trucks to its national delivery fleet.
The company now has three Fuso eCanter delivering packages to customers in Melbourne before Christmas.
The eCanter complements Australia Post's existing electric delivery fleet with more than 2,100 electric delivery vehicles and 1,400 electric bicycles. This is followed by an allegedly successful test of the truck developed by Daimler at the end of 2019.
James Dixon, Australia Post's General Manager Networks, says the addition of the Fuso eCanter to the company's delivery fleet is an exciting move for the company.
“We are very proud to be Australia's largest electric fleet operator, but until then our electric fleet consisted entirely of smaller delivery vehicles used for the last mile,” he says.
"We've tested a number of electric trucks before, but the Fuso eCanter is the first we've found that meets both Australian conditions and our unique operating requirements."
Susan Mizrahi, Australia Post's Chief Sustainability Officer, says expanding the current electric fleet is an important part of Australia Post's 2020-22 Corporate Responsibility Plan and its science-based goal to reduce emissions by 15% by 2025.
“This is an important milestone for our business,” she says.
"We know that every shipment has a carbon footprint, which is why we are committed to reducing our emissions by expanding our electric fleet and increasing our renewable energy production to power these new vehicles."
The Fuso eCanter is said to be the only original equipment manufacturer's electric truck available in Australia. It uses the latest technology from the Daimler Truck Group.
The remaining 17 eCanters will take to the streets in the most important capitals from the beginning of 2022.
