DPD is adding a further 381 electric vans to its UK fleet as the parcel delivery company prepares for what it expects to be a record Peak period.
The vans, all Ford E-Transits, are due to be on the road by mid-November, ahead of the Black Friday and Christmas period that is critical for both business and residential customers.
The 3.5-tonne-equivalent models offer maximum payload and an enhanced range, making them suitable for a wide range of delivery routes across the country. DPD first deployed the Ford E-Transit in early 2022.
The order follows the delivery of 341 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter vans in September and forms part of the company’s continued investment in more sustainable fleet solutions, building on earlier work to cut its emissions. In 2025, DPD delivered more than 85 million parcels using electric vehicles, including a predominantly diesel-free final-mile service within London’s North and South Circular roads.
“Ford is a strong partner for DPD, and we already operate a significant number of E-Transits. They have performed well for us over the last four years, while the TrustFord mobile service network also played a big part in us choosing Ford again. The enhanced range means we can now get more of these larger electric vans out on our longer routes, making a bigger difference in terms of reducing emissions.
Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability and Social Purpose, DPD
“This is set to be our biggest peak yet, so it is great to be able to say to customers that we will have more electric vans delivering on the road than ever before. We know this is a key issue for many shippers, large and small and we are delighted to be delivering more of their parcels on electric vehicles.”
DPD is a member of Geopost, part of La Poste Groupe, and operates more than 10,000 vehicles in the UK from 85 locations, delivering over 360 million parcels a year. More than 38% of its final-mile van fleet is now electric, while its HGV fleet runs partly on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO).
As part of Geopost, DPD UK has a net zero target of 2040, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, and says its UK operation is on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target. The company has also launched other delivery innovations, including its multi-compartment autonomous locker robot, and details of its sustainability initiatives are published on its sustainability website.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
