DPD opens first all-electric parcel depot in UK

DPD has opened the UK’s first all-electric parcel depot in London, with seven more planned for development.

The new DPD Westminster facility measures 5,000 square feet and its all-electric fleet will be able to deliver 2,000 parcels a day. The courier company has spent £500,000 on refurbishments for the site, including a new electric charging system.

“This is a hugely significant announcement for us with Westminster set to be the first in a series of all-electric DPD depots,” said Dwain McDonald, CEO of DPD UK.

“Reducing and neutralising our carbon footprint; providing smarter and more efficient urban delivery solutions and driving innovations are at the heart of DPD’s DrivingChange programme. We want to be the leader in alternative fuel vehicles in the UK, with the ultimate aim being to move to a zero emission fleet.”

Credit: Alex Holyoake

DPD says it will see a reduction of around 45 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, as its all-electric fleet will be covering both inbound and outbound trips to the facility.

Three models of vehicle are in use: two Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter 7.5t vehicles for delivering parcels to the depot, seven Nissan eNV200 vans for last-mile delivery, and eight Paxton micro-vehicles for the immediate area around the depot.

The facility also has the first DPD UK Pickup shop to allow customers to collect parcels from the site, adding it to the existing network of 2,500 points that operate out of third-party stores.

DPD’s second all-electric depot will be based in Shoreditch.

Source: DPD [dead link - www.dpd.com/home/news/latest_news/dpd_opens_the_uk_s_first_all_electric_parcel_depot_in_central_london]