JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU ON PARTICIPATION IN TYRE TRIAL FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
No. 322/21
Dear Colleagues,
JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU ON PARTICIPATION IN A TYRE TRIAL FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Further to LTB 509/19 and 641/17 Joint Statement on Optimise Prime – Road to Zero Emissions.
Those documents advised that Royal Mail Fleet had purchased 100 Peugeot Partner LE2 Electric vehicles and was also followed by the Optimise Prime Project, as a result of an increase in funding for new vehicles by an additional £40m. Royal Mail is now involved in what is considered the world’s biggest trial of commercial EVs that brings together leading companies in Hitachi technology giants, UK electricity distribution partners and key household operators Centrica, Uber and Royal Mail with £16m of Electricity Network Innovation Competition (NIC) funding awarded by Ofgem to the project.
The decarbonisation journey has resulted in zero tailpipe emissions for a number of our collection and delivery fleet with a desired completion date for a complete change in the fleet profile in advance of 2030. Royal Mail has recently been approached by Transport for London to participate in a trial to explore the potential for a specialist tyre designed for electric vehicles. The trial relates to a new compound for tyres which claims to produce fewer micro-particles compared to standard tyres purchased by Royal Mail Fleet.
ENSO, the company involved, claim to have developed a new sustainable tyre for Electric Vehicles (EVs) that are made from non-carcinogenic materials and are also fully recyclable.
The Standard tyre is constructed of a number of different materials including synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric and wire along with carbon black and other chemical compounds.
The Innovators tyres (ENSO) will be fitted to 15 electric Peugeot Partners and potentially up to 5 diesel Peugeot Partners. ENSO Tyres Ltd which is a British company will supply and fit their tyres and will measure the weight loss on these tyres compared to the diesel van tyres.
This will give them an indication of the wear rate and particulate matter emitted through real-life use. Any improved range claimed by ENSO will also be measured as part of the trial.
All costs including the provision of the tyre fitting team, the tyres, tyre fitting equipment, logistics and emission and tyre data monitoring will be covered by the Innovator. The tyres need to be monitored and weighed every 6 weeks at which mileage data and electricity consumed will also be provided by the Fleet Innovation and Environment Manager for the 15 electric Peugeot Partners.
The selected Royal Mail office for the trial is West London Delivery Centre. This site has a designated safe working area that a Royal Mail Fleet Support Vehicle currently uses which is also suitable for the Innovators Medium Panel (Ford Transit) Van.
The vehicles therefore do not have to leave the site and the work could be carried out in downtime with zero impact on the Royal Mail operation.
Participation in the project helps demonstrate our commitment to improving the air quality in the communities we operate in and will also help to inform future purchasing decisions. The trial will last no longer than 9 months but no less than 6 months.
The trial activity will involve:
15 electric Peugeot Partners
Up to 5 diesel Peugeot Partners
Mileage data and energy consumption data will be shared every 6 weeks by the Fleet Innovation & Environment Manager. The Innovator will visit West London Delivery Centre every 6 weeks to monitor and weigh the tyres of the 15 electric Peugeot Partner and up to 5 diesel Peugeot Partners which will be completed during down time so no adverse impact to duties or any Collections or Delivery.
The trial activity will be the subject to an ongoing monthly review including a full commitment to protection of personal data. The final summary and results of the trial will be shared within the operation by the Joint Working Group. Local Managers, CWU representatives and drivers involved in the trial will feed into this process.
Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 300, email address: njones@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary