Canada Post has announced plans to convert its entire fleet of 14,000 vehicles to be all-electric by 2040, with an interim target of 50% by 2030.
CEO and President Doug Ettinger said the transition will help the Crown corporation reach its mandate of having net-zero emissions by 2050.
Canada Post will put $1 billion towards the initiative, which will also include retrofitting their buildings to make them more energy-efficient, upgrading equipment to the latest technology, new sources of renewable power, and building new net-zero buildings.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat this one and the size of this challenge for us. We’re a very big national organization with operations from coast to coast to coast. We’re literally everywhere, and then some. And that comes with a large carbon footprint,” said Ettinger. (via The Canadian Press)
At a press conference at a delivery depot in Ottawa, Ettinger said Canada Post has already placed a large order for electric vehicles, without providing specifics. According to Ettinger, a few of those will arrive early next year, but due to high demand and low supply, most won’t arrive until later in 2023 and into 2024.
A few electric and hybrid Canada Post vehicles were on display, including a low-speed EV that will be piloted for one year on a postal route covering neighbourhoods west of downtown Ottawa.
Canada Post will also be installing their own charging infrastructure.
“We can’t use public charging infrastructure. Even if it’s there, it’s not a way to run the business efficiently,” he said.
The first charging stations will be installed in depots currently on electricity grids, meaning B.C. and Quebec could be among the first provinces to see electric Canada Post vehicles.
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