DPD aims for 10% electric van mix with new Nissan deal

Nissan will deliver 300 e-NV200 electric vans to logistics firm, DPD. The deal will see the company’s electric fleet expand to 450 vehicles by May 2020.

This is part of DPD’s aim to make 10 percent of the vehicles at its 68 UK depots electric by the year’s end.

“This is a real landmark day in the move to a more sustainable future for the parcel industry,” said Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO.

“These vehicles are changing the way we work. It isn’t just a case of plugging them in and saying, ‘job done’. We are rethinking and re-engineering how we deliver parcels now and in the future with different route networks and new types of depots. It is an all-encompassing revolution for our industry and electric, emission-free vehicles are at the heart of that vision.”

DPD already has 91 e-NV200s on its fleet, which have been making their rounds for the last year and a half. The new batch of Nissans will be put to work performing local multi-drop deliveries, driving 100 miles per day.

The e-NV200 is WLTP-rated to travel between 124 and 187 miles on a full charge. It’ll recharge in eight hours with a wall box, and can be rapid-charged to 80 percent capacity in about an hour.

The vans will be topped up overnight at DPD depots, and will have their routes for the next day sorted by the company’s route calculation and vehicle optimisation systems. Drivers have apparently given positive feedback so far.

“It’s exciting to see a company built on delivering on time and to schedule proving that an electric vehicle can work for them, while also making such a large commitment to reducing their carbon footprint,” said Peter McDonald, fleet director at Nissan Motor GB.

“We’re seeing increased demand for the e-NV200 as more businesses look for an all-electric alternative. Nissan is able to deliver a fantastic product for them, and fast.”

Companies can claim 20 percent off the price of an electric commercial vehicle, up to a maximum of £8,000.