Royal Mail is introducing futuristic electric cargo cycles as part of a major change to how post is delivered across the UK.
The high-tech vehicles will allow posties to travel along cycle paths and greenways as well as roads with speed limits of up to 30mph.
They can carry 2.5 cubic metres of letters and parcels, travel for up to 37 miles on one charge and be powered using an ordinary three-pin plug.
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The first 20 Minimal Pedal 4 cycles are being rolled out this month, initially in cities including London, Brighton and Cambridge, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Manufacturer Minimal said the vehicles were also operating in three other unnamed UK cities, describing the contract as its “biggest deployment to date”.
Royal Mail said further locations could be added as it expands what it describes as the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet.
Announcing the change on LinkedIn, the company said: “Using e-cargo cycles will help us to reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality and make delivery rounds more efficient.
“Giving posties their own dedicated vehicle rather than sharing a van will help to streamline routes and speed up deliveries.
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The four-wheeled vehicles have been designed for busy urban routes where congestion, parking restrictions and a lack of depot space can make conventional vans less efficient.
Unlike an electric van or Royal Mail’s existing micro electric vehicles, the Pedal 4 is classed as an electrically assisted pedal cycle.
This means posties will not require a driving licence to operate one, potentially opening delivery jobs to more applicants.
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The cycles were designed, engineered and built at Minimal’s microfactory in west London.
Minimal said in a LinkedIn post: “As manufacturing has moved overseas, we’re proud to be a British company building the vehicles that keep Britain’s biggest courier moving.
“And there’s plenty more to come.”
The cycles can be charged from an ordinary plug, allowing them to operate from smaller delivery offices without specialist infrastructure or significant electricity capacity.
The rollout follows Royal Mail’s introduction of its first micro electric vehicles last year and forms part of its goal of reaching net zero by 2040.
Mark Riley, delivery design manager at Royal Mail, said: “Our new electric cargo cycles mark another important step towards reaching net zero by 2040 and making our delivery network more efficient for the future.
“They will help reduce emissions and improve air quality in the communities we serve, while creating new opportunities for people to join Royal Mail without needing a driving licence.”
Patrick Bion, chief executive and co-founder of Minimal, said the system would give Royal Mail “new insights behind every drop”.
Writing on LinkedIn, he said: “Royal Mail serves 32 million addresses, every day, without exception.
“It’s one of the most demanding networks in the country. It needs a fleet it can trust completely, and vehicles that teams love to use.
“We’re pleased to help them grow and move more with less: more parcels delivered, at a lower cost, using less energy and space to do it.”
Minimal claims the Pedal 4 costs around 3.3p per mile to operate and can complete more deliveries per hour than van-based alternatives.
The manufacturer estimates that it is more than twice as economical as an electric van and five times cheaper than a diesel vehicle, although those figures have not been independently confirmed by Royal Mail.
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