Amazon is expanding its zero-exhaust emission deliveries across the UK with its largest-ever order of electric heavy-goods vehicles (eHGVs).
More than 140 new electric Mercedes-Benz Truck eActros 600 trucks and eight Volvo FM Battery Electric trucks will join Amazon’s transportation network over the next 18 months, a rise from the nine eHGVs currently operating across its network.
The new eHGVs are expected to transport over 300m packages per year in the UK with no exhaust emissions once fully operational.
Additionally, the company’s packages are now being transported at scale on the UK’s electric rail network for the first time.
More than 20m products are expected to travel on the electric rail network this year, with plans to expand across more rail routes before the end of the year.
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Amazon has also launched its first on-foot customer deliveries in central London, with trolleys that can be restocked on-the-go, in a move that will help the group make more zero-exhaust emission deliveries than ever before, according to the retailer.
The moves will help remove traditional diesel vans and trucks from the UK’s roads, reduce carbon emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and improve air quality, as part of the retailer’s climate pledge commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040.
Amazon Logistics EU VP Nicola Fyfe said: “Decarbonising our transport network is key in helping us achieve our goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions across our operations by 2040 and today’s announcement is an exciting and major step forward for us in this mission.
“The combination of our – and the UK’s – biggest ever order of eHGVs, the UK’s electric rail network now being used to transport customer packages, and the launch of restocking on the move on-foot deliveries, all alongside our partners’ fleet of electric vans and e-cargo bikes, will help us move more customer orders across our fulfilment network with zero exhaust emissions.”
The news comes after Amazon geared up to settle a dispute from a group of delivery drivers in December, which accused the retailer of stopping them from earning thousands of pounds.
The claim could cost Amazon £140m according to lawyers involved in the dispute, first reported by The Guardian.
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