Purolator, a courier service owned by Canada Post, will invest one billion Canadian dollars in decarbonising its fleet within the decade. This includes the purchase of more than 3,500 fully electric last-mile delivery vehicles and the electrification of more than 60 terminals.
Purolator says this was the most significant single investment in its 60-year history. One billion Canadian dollars equals about 725 million US dollars or 681 million euros. And the company has started the transition by spending CA$ 100 mn this year alone.
In 2023, the fleet will see over 100 electric vehicles, with another 150 joining in 2024.
Purolator has opted for a mix of Ford E-Transit, Motiv Power Systems EPIC4 and BrightDrop Zevo 600 delivery vehicles.
Purolator will begin deploying 25 Ford E-Transit vans this month in London, Ontario, Richmond, B.C., and Quebec City. A further 55 Motiv and 15 BrightDrop models, and several low-speed vehicles and electric cargo bikes, will be added later this year.
The selection was based on the partners’ “ability to deliver market-leading technology and operational support and to meet Purolator’s unique transportation needs serving markets across Canada,” so the courier.
However, the journey started even earlier on. In 2005, the courier introduced more than 500 hybrid-electric vehicles into its fleet. All-electric vehicle pilots with e-bikes and low-speed vehicles were started in 2020, and one year later, Purolator launched fully electric delivery vans. It also runs ‘Urban Quick Stop’ mini hubs in several urban centres across Canada.
“Purolator was the first Canadian courier to launch fully electric curbside-delivery trucks nationally,” said President and CEO John Ferguson. “We’ve set ambitious goals for ourselves and are working with our customers and partners every day to reduce our carbon footprint and protect our environment.”
However, the one-billion-dollar strategy to decarbonise will see Purolator electrify about 60 per cent of its fleet by 2030, primarily in last-mile logistics. Other investments will go into alternative fuels and low-carbon technologies, so the company. Purolator also plans to reduce emissions from electricity by 100 per cent through the use of renewable sources and by diverting more than 70 per cent of its waste from landfill.
Canada Post is Purolator’s majority shareholder (91%). Canada Post, in 2022, announced plans to convert its fleet of nearly 14,000 vehicles to all-electric vehicles by 2040. Already by 2030, at least half of the fleet should be electric as reported.
Keyword: CA: Courier Purolator to spend CA$1 bn to decarbonize operations