Parcel postman trembling on the dashboard – infosperber

Marco Diener / 02/26/2023 “We supply electricity only in Zurich and Bern,” says The Post. Postmen are the ones affected. Sometimes they drive diesel.

“From now on, Swiss Post will deliver letters and parcels in the main cities of Zurich and Bern exclusively using electric vehicles.” This was announced by Swiss Post in a press release at the beginning of February. For this purpose, there are “374 electric motorcycles and 194 electric transport vehicles” on the road in the two cities. Many of them bear the eye-catching green inscription “Our engine is green” or “Environmentally friendly”.

“conviction”

Swiss Post hasn’t been stingy with self-praise: “At Swiss Post, sustainability is not a fashionable word, but a conviction.” Or: “Swiss Post always has an exemplary job. We take this into account. And Swiss Post did the math: “Thanks to climate-neutral delivery in Zurich and Bern, for example, we save 1,436 tons of CO2 every year.”₂ a. This corresponds to 718 single-person trips from Zurich to New York and back.”

“Absolutely 200 kilometers”

All well and good? never! Parcel couriers on the road with Renault Master E-Tech trucks. Theoretical range: 204 kilometers. But the rounds are often punched in front of the charge indicator on the dashboard. “When it’s cold, we never go 200 kilometers,” the parcel postman reported to Infosperber. Then it’s time to go back and change delivery trucks and reload packages if needed.

When Johannes Kramer, Head of Logistics at Swiss Post, says, “We are delighted to have found vehicles that meet our requirements,” parcel postmen do not know whether to laugh or cry. For them, the extra effort is huge.

“Usually 60 to 80 kilometers”

To be fair, it should also be said that Renault Delivery Trucks are a step forward. In 2019, Swiss Post started purchasing MAN eTGE delivery trucks. Its theoretical range: 110 to 115 kilometers. But Mann puts it in perspective and writes that her cars “generally cover an average daily mileage of 60 to 80 kilometers without any issues.” It means “as a rule”: you can’t even count 60-80 kilometers.

Tours from 15 to 100 kilometers

Swiss Post has so far purchased 39 electric MAN vehicles. They are used “only for short trips”. Tours in Zurich and Bern range from 15 to 100 kilometers in length. Tours should be available with the 268 Renaults ordered by Swiss Post. But they are not.

several times a day

The Post measured ranges of about 140 kilometers in the first week of February. and at the end of February, when it was quite warm for this time of year, ranges of 150 kilometres. But some vehicles are used several times a day – for example for delivery during the day and delivery in the evening. If that isn’t enough to charge the batteries properly in between, then “it can happen that the postman charges the battery in between,” admits Swiss Post.

smaller payload

Another problem is the payload. Because of the batteries, electric delivery vans are much heavier than combustion engine delivery vans. So the payload is smaller. This is a problem with the 39 Electro-MAN. The Post wrote: “Fewer packages can be loaded and the remaining packages must be reloaded.” This is also an additional expense for the postman.

Sometimes with diesel

As mentioned at the beginning, Swiss Post claims to deliver shipments “exclusively with electric vehicles”. But this is not true. Diesel delivery vans are still on the road in Bern and Zurich, Infosperber research shows. The paper also admits: “There are isolated cases of delivery being made with diesel vehicles.” That is, when an electric delivery van breaks down and must be replaced by a car from the garage. However, if you are paying attention, you will often hear the typical “knocking” of diesel delivery trucks in Zurich and Bern rather than the hum of electric delivery trucks.

Soon also Geneva and Basel

Despite the difficulties and the indignation of the Parcel Post, Swiss Post is determined to continue on the path it has chosen. It promises: “By the end of 2024, in addition to locations in the metropolitan areas of Zurich and Bern, Swiss Post will also be fully electric in the cities of Geneva and Basel and in about 50 other locations.”