Australia Post has introduced 163 electric delivery vehicles in Canberra, and new images of the zero-emissions “trikes” in action have been shared by one of our readers.
The Swiss-designed electric trikes, otherwise known as eDVs (electric delivery vehicles), consist of a three-wheeled frame with a 195kg load capacity, powered by a lithium-ion battery with a maximum (unladen) range of 100km and top speed of 45km/hr.
Part of a 1,000-strong fleet ordered by Australia Post in 2019 as part of its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 25% by 2020, they are currently deployed in the Canberra suburbs of Mitchell, Belconnen, Gungahlin and Tuggeranong with more inner-city suburbs being added over coming weeks.
Captured in action by Canberra resident Paris Lord, the local postie using this particular eDV told Lord that he enjoyed using the silent, vibration-free electric trike, and added that all of Canberra will have them once there is enough infrastructure in place.
Met a friendly @auspost worker on an #electric tricycle in Downer yesterday. He says the new Kyburz vehicles are great; soon all of Canberra will have them, once depots have infrastructure ready. We talked EVs. He was impressed when he learned what the @Chargefox app can do. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/M6BgqHWuUd
— Paris Banitsa Bump Lord (@parislord) May 16, 2020
The 163 vehicles will be joined by an additional 100 EVs by the end of 2020, if demand requires it: and given the increase in parcel delivery due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is entirely likely.
Speaking to the Canberra Times about the eDV fleet, Territory manager Careg Pretorius said that, “should the current environment continue with high parcel volumes and high demand for online shopping and online services, then there could very well be a scenario where we need to fast track some of those.”
In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of Australia Post’s last-mile delivery fleet, the three-wheeled electric vehicles offer more safety and stability than the traditional postie motor bike.
“These vehicles are more visible, more stable, have increased rider protection and lower on-road speeds, all of which help to keep our posties safer on the road,” Pretorius was quoted as saying by the Canberra Times.
For the ACT in general, the addition of the eDVs to the local fleet bolsters the territory’s goal to reduce transport emissions which are its largest source of greenhouse gases since it achieved its 100% renewable energy target ahead of schedule in 2019.
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Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.