TNT, one of the world's leading express parcel carriers, has expanded its fleet in the Czech Republic by two electric cars, becoming the first express company in the country using this type of vehicles in its daily operations. One of the TNT electric vehicles serves customers in Prague city centre, and the second one in Brno.
Each electric car delivers nearly 50 shipments a day, most often smaller parcels for businesses in the city centres. Fleet expansion of the new electric vehicles in the Czech Republic is a part of zero-emission supply chain solutions for customers, the TNT's global commitment. The company globally owns nearly 200 electric and hybrid vehicles.
TNT is focusing its efforts to deliver innovative low emission supply chain solutions to its customers and continuously reduce its footprint through coordinated country carbon reduction plans. That is why TNT continues reducing the company buildings carbon footprint, optimizing transport routes of the vehicles and since 2012 has been using the environmentally friendly packaging material. The key initiative is to offer CO2-reduction services to its customers.
Two years testing and commissioning
Introducing the electric cars into operations in the Czech Republic is the result of two years testing of electric vehicles from various manufacturers while one of the most important criteria was the distance covered by the vehicles on a single charge. TNT also tested fuel-efficient innovations such as fuel savers and aerodynamic vehicle equipment. Finally, TNT CZ decided to go for Citroën Berlingo vehicle in Prague, in Brno there is an adapted Citroën Jumper from the Czech dealer EVC Hulin.
"Electric cars are getting more important in these days and seem to be the best services provider for the future, especially in the city centres, where more rigorous legal regulation is expected for the transport industry to reduce CO2 emissions," says Miloš Malaník, CEO of TNT Czech Republic. “Another key thing is that our customers are asking for the electric transport, sometimes they even demand the environment friendly shipping from our side," adds Miloš Malaník.
Due to the low electric cars charging stations density in the Czech Republic, it is planned to introduce delivery service using electric vehicles where possible, at least in the centres of major cities. The maximum driving range that can be achieved on a single charge is 190 km for Citroën Jumper and 150 km for Citroën Berlingo. The mentioned driving range can also be affected by the altitude of the route, driving style or the actual load.
