Coles Group has added its first electric delivery van to its fleet, making grocery delivery greener.
The electric delivery van, dubbed Sparky by Coles team members, would emit less emissions than petrol-powered vehicles and save up to $170 in fuel costs weekly.
The EV will also be quieter to operate than traditional combustion engine cars since it will not be necessary to idle or run the engine while not in motion to keep groceries at the ideal temperature, saving up to 3 hours of emissions every day.
The announcement comes as Coles commits to installing electric fridges in 500 of its delivery vans following a successful experiment earlier this year. The vans will drive throughout Australia’s east coast, emitting less emissions and lowering operating expenses.
Coles General Manager of Online Network & Growth James Geddes stated that the new electric delivery van will help Coles meet its goal of cutting scope 1 & 2 emissions by more than 75% by 2030.
“We are proud to introduce our first fully electric vehicle to our fleet of Coles Online delivery vans. Making around 49 deliveries to customers each day, the EV is a quieter, more efficient vehicle that produces fewer emissions than a petrol-powered vehicle,”’ Geddes said.
“With up to 20,000 Coles Online deliveries made 7 days per week across 95% of Australia, we are in a unique position to introduce more sustainable ways of delivering groceries to our customers. We look forward to using the insights gained from this trial to welcome more electric vans to our growing fleet around the country soon,” he added.
The project is in collaboration with Custom Fleet, supporting Coles to accomplish its sustainability goals while maximising efficiency and meeting consumer demand for more environmentally friendly delivery options.
“We are happy to partner with Coles on this positive sustainability initiative. These vans have zero tailpipe emissions and offer a reduction in noise pollution. They also need less maintenance and are more comfortable to drive due to less vibrations,” Custom Fleet CEO Chris Tulloch said.
In addition to the new electric delivery van, Coles has collaborated with Linfox to test an electric-powered truck in the retailer’s Supply Chain, saving more than 60 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions each year.
Coles is also collaborating with Toll Group and Nexport to test the first electric yard tractor in its Supply Chain. The yard tractor, which can run for nearly 24 hours straight and emits zero emissions, is presently in use at a Coles Distribution Centre in Melbourne. Coles also launched 10 online delivery vans equipped with solar-powered electric fridges in Victoria and Queensland.
