Royal Mail has launched a new trial of electric trucks as part of its efforts to decarbonise its national distribution fleet. It is working in partnership with Rotherham-based EV specialist Magtec.
Two 19-tonne electric trucks, developed by Magtec, will undergo testing against Royal Mail’s existing diesel fleet under real-world operating conditions. The initiative is backed by an £800,000 grant from Innovate UK.
The first vehicle, assembled in the UK and finished in Royal Mail’s signature red, is based at the Greenford Mail Centre in North West London. It will be used for mail collections and deliveries to nearby depots. The vehicle features modular battery options capable of delivering a range of up to 125 miles per charge.
This trial builds on Magtec’s prior involvement in UK government-backed innovation programmes, including those led by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and the Small Business Research Initiative. The company’s new Gen2 EV drive system, which powers the trucks, is designed to improve efficiency and operational reliability for commercial fleets.
Royal Mail operates one of the UK’s largest delivery fleets and is exploring ways to extend electrification beyond its last-mile van operations into its 4,000-strong heavy goods vehicle fleet. The trial will provide operational data to inform the potential scale-up of EV trucks across its network.
