Green letter day as Royal Mail delivers new eco-friendly vans

Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010 22:01

AT LONG last it is going to be a green letter day for the nation's postmen.

For, after a year-long delay, the Royal Mail is to use the Outer Hebrides for the first groundbreaking trial of hydrogen-powered post delivery vans – which cost 100,000 each.

The project has been hit by technical delays over producing the hydrogen on the Isle of Lewis – however, the Western Isles Council said yesterday that the problems are finally about to be resolved and it expects the first vehicle to up and running within weeks.

The Ford Transits may look red – but they are really green in nature. They will look the same as any other red post van and feel just like any other to drive, but they have been converted to run on pollution-free hydrogen. The vans also have petrol back-up.

If the trial – which will run for at least six months and involve just one van initially – is a success, it could be rolled out across other parts of the Royal Mail fleet, which currently numbers some 35,000 vehicles.

But the availability of hydrogen fuelling is a limiting factor at the moment.

Other major vehicle users are also watching the results of the trial.

Although the vehicles only have a range on full tanks of between 85 and 135 miles – compared to over 300 miles on petrol – they produce zero , helping meet climate change targets.

Ironically, the islands suffer from some of the highest fuel costs in the UK – and hydrogen fuel is seen as one of the solutions.

The concept to be used on the "green" post vans is expected to accelerate the availability of -free, hydrogen-fuelled commercial vehicles operating in Britain.

The vehicle's electrolyser can produce hydrogen from water using electricity.

Unlike petrol or diesel, when hydrogen burns, it releases no , merely water vapour.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said: "We are working with a number of partners in this project.

"The van which will be used in the trial is ready to be put into operation and we look forward to beginning the trial at the earliest opportunity."