How Have EVs Helped Royal Mail Modernise and Go Green?

Royal Mail has made itself hard to ignore in the electric vehicle (EV) conversation. Once seen as a legacy postal operator, it is now positioning itself to become the greenest parcel delivery service in the UK.

According to its 2024–2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, the business has reduced its emissions by 25% since 2020–21 – and much of that is down to a large-scale shift to electric vehicles and fuel alternatives.

The organisation has added around 7,000 electric vans to its fleet, an increase from 5,000 the previous year. That figure now covers 31% of all delivery routes, meaning almost one in three parcels is dropped off with zero tailpipe emissions.

“Our average carbon per parcel has now reduced to 165g CO2e, which is the lowest in the industry,” writes Alistair Cochrane, CEO of Royal Mail, in the report.

Electrifying delivery, one route at a time

For a company with the UK’s largest delivery footprint, electrification has become the most direct route to decarbonisation. Alongside the expansion of its EV fleet – which includes models like the Peugeot E-PARTNER and those developed by Arrival – Royal Mail has heavily invested in staff training.

More than 22,000 workers have received EV handling training, and a third of its mechanics are already certified to maintain these vehicles.

But the push doesn’t end there. Large goods vehicles, which are harder to electrify, are now running on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biofuel.

More than 27 million litres of HVO were used last year alone, cutting an estimated 44,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.

Combined with route optimisation, container tracking through a partnership with Wiliot and a drop in domestic airmail, these operational changes are all helping Royal Mail build a more climate-conscious delivery model.

Air freight is another area where the company has made changes. Sixteen domestic air routes have been axed. This decision has halved domestic airmail emissions by shifting volume to road and ferry, which are far less carbon-intensive.

Parcel delivery powered by green energy

Electric vans are only as green as the energy charging them. That’s why Royal Mail now powers its entire estate with 100% renewable electricity. The company is exploring options like on-site solar, air source heat pumps and full lighting upgrades across its buildings.

EV charging infrastructure is also being expanded, and the company is aligning building energy use with its wider emissions targets. These efforts reflect Royal Mail’s commitment to lowering its direct (Scopes 1 and 2) emissions, which have dropped 27% since 2020–21.

But it's not just about what Royal Mail controls internally.

More than 70% of its emissions fall under Scope 3 – emissions generated along the supply chain.

Royal Mail company has started embedding environmental requirements into its procurement process, is collecting more detailed carbon data from suppliers and has begun a supplier engagement programme aimed at reducing emissions from top-emitting vendors.

Circular thinking and local action

While electric vans and renewables grab headlines, Royal Mail’s work in circularity is just as critical.

Waste has been reduced by 24% since 2020–21 and 97% is now diverted from landfill.

Uniforms and packaging are being redesigned using recycled materials, IT equipment is reused where possible and the company has supported customer-led reuse schemes.

These include recycling over one million coffee pod bags with Nespresso, enabling eBay sellers and fashion resale platforms to extend product life and offering take-back options for old electronics.

Royal Mail also co-founded PrintGreen, an initiative focused on reducing the carbon impact of direct mail and promoting more sustainable print production across the industry.

At the community level, Royal Mail has embraced biodiversity with the planting of 17 wildflower meadows and the installation of 47 bird boxes. It also took part in the No Mow May initiative across 60 of its sites to promote pollinator habitats.

In the words of Matt Gower, Royal Mail’s Head of ESG: “The results are in… Royal Mail is the UK’s greenest parcel operator based on average emissions per parcel delivered.”

Royal Mail’s environmental transformation shows how even long-established businesses can lead on decarbonisation through electric mobility, sustainable procurement and public engagement. With its emissions per parcel now at 165g CO2e – the lowest in the sector – Royal Mail isn’t just meeting net zero targets. It’s delivering them.

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