Athlone DSU to gain four new EVs as part of An Post's new sustainable plans

The rollout of the new ‘Buzz’ electric vehicle (EV) fleet will see Athlone DSU receive four new EVs, marking another milestone in An Post's sustainable journey. Significantly reducing the carbon emissions levels in Irish cities and towns, 30% of delivery routes are now covered by EVs, making An Post the largest EV fleet operator in Ireland.

With the festive season just around the corner, An Post is estimated to deliver over ten million packages nationwide over the coming weeks. As 30% of delivery routes are covered by electric vehicles, soon to be increased to 32% by Q1 2024, over 100,000 parcels will be delivered daily, with that figure multiplying closer to Christmas, without contributing to carbon emission levels.

Commenting on the new fleet, CEO of An Post, David McRedmond, said: “The rollout of this new 'Buzz' fleet shows our ongoing commitment to a sustainable future for all. We’re excited about the positive impact it will have on our environment and the communities and customers we serve as we continue to reduce our carbon footprint and improve the quality of life in Ireland, now and for generations to come.”

An Post postal driver Ellen Langan said: “I love driving an EV and my customers love to see their parcels arriving in them. There’ll be literally millions of parcels to deliver all over Ireland in the run up to Christmas, it’s getting busier by the day. These Buzz vans couldn’t arrive at a better time and we’ve designed a great way of loading them up to make use of every bit of space.”

An Post has just added 45 Volkswagen ID Buzz vans to its electric vehicle (EV) fleet, marking another milestone in its sustainability journey. In its efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, with a 50% reduction by 2025, the new, larger 'Buzz' fleet will significantly reduce An Post’s contribution to carbon emissions in Irish cities and towns, making a positive impact on the environment.

Of the 3,600 of An Post’s vehicles currently available, 1,000 of them are electric, making An Post the largest EV fleet operator in Ireland. With the introduction of this new 'Buzz' fleet this number will increase to 1,250 by Q1 2024.

Having almost 3,900 delivery routes nationwide, 1,250 will be assigned an EV by Q1 2024, representing 32% of delivery routes.