La Poste has partnered with automotive manufacturers Micro-Vett/Newteon and Venturi Automobilesadding 500 electric vehicles to its fleet for mail and parcel delivery.
The two big automotive groups were pre-selected in an international tender proposing twodifferent technologies to be tested during summer. Micro-Vett/Newteon provided the prototype FIATProfessional whereas Venturi Automobiles and PSA Peugeot Citroën have joined forces to supply themodel Citroën Berlingo First.
Issued in April 2007, the international tender initially involves the supply of a smallnumber of test vehicles varying between 4 – 10. Following a six-month trial period, during whichthe vehicles with be thoroughly tested, La Poste will select the supplier of 500 mail delivery vanswith the aim to purchase 10,000 vehicles of the selected type in five years if the trials aresuccessful.
With the acquisition of 500 electric vans, La Poste would be one of the first companies inEurope to have a fleet of electric vehicles. The implementation of the 500 clean vehicles willallow an annual CO2 reduction of 1500 tons with the goal of reducing the company’s gas emission by15% until 2012.
