Parcel delivery company DPD has announced that it will be the first customers of Mercedes-Benz new fully-electric eVito vans as part of a strategy for an entire fleet of alternative fuel vehicles.
The long-bodies versions of the mid-size capacity vans will employ a 41kWh battery to produce 116hp and a range of approximately 93 miles – all with zero tailpipe emissions.
DPD has commissioned 10 vehicles to enter service in London where they will join the company’s fully-electric final mile delivery center, with plans to rollout further all-electric depots across the country.
“Reducing and neutralising our carbon footprint by providing smarter and more efficient urban delivery solutions, and investing in innovation, are at the heart of DPD’s DrivingChange program,” said Rob Fowler, DPD UK’s general manager of corporate social responsibility and general planning.
“We want to be the leader in alternative fuel vehicles in the UK, and the Mercedes-Benz eVito, like the larger eSprinter which we also look forward to seeing, is integral to our EV strategy. Aside from their zero tailpipe emissions and exemplary environmental credentials, both vehicles offer the volume and payload potentials that make them genuinely viable propositions.”
While DPD has demonstrated its commitment to a greener future, Mercedes-Benz expects to supply 350 eVito models to other major fleet customers this year.
