Starting today, Belgian postal company Bpost will deliver its parcels and mail in the 19 municipalities of Brussels completely emission-free. According to Bpost, this makes the capital the first European metropolis where postal workers make their daily rounds completely emission-free.
565 electric delivery vans and 57 electric bicycles with trailers make 728 rounds every day, with 409 charging points in the distribution centers ensuring daily autonomy for the e-vehicles. This enables Bpost to save 750 tons of CO2 per year.
350 pick-up points
The company achieves this by combining deliveries on foot with electric bicycles, trailers, and electric vans. Specifically, 12,830 kilometers are covered each day by electric vehicles and bicycle trailers, often carrying up to 150 kilograms of mail, or approximately one-third of the Earth’s circumference.
A dense network with many pick-up points also helps to make all deliveries emission-free. One in three parcels in Brussels is delivered to a pick-up point. With almost 350 pick-up points, including 126 Bbox machines, 33 post offices, 106 Post Points, and 81 Parcel Points, every resident has an average of one point within a 400-meter radius of their home or along their daily route.
Significant annual savings
“This investment underscores our commitment and marks an important step toward a climate-friendly future,” says Karin Enzlin, Head of Sustainability Belgium at Bpost group. “Our sincere thanks go to the Brussels Secretary of State, the mayors of the 19 municipalities, Innoviris, and VUB for their support and cooperation.”
According to Professor Koen Mommens of VUB Mobilise, only 14% of deliveries across all parcel companies in Belgium are currently completed emission-free. With the support of Innoviris, the university mapped out the interests of the transition for consumers, e-retailers, and postal workers. These insights and results could save Brussels more than half a million euros in annual environmental and social costs.
Mommens estimates the social cost of parcel delivery at 188 million euros per year, including pollution, noise pollution, accidents, and traffic jams, among other factors, which is not surprising when considering that Belgians received 381 million parcels in 2023 alone.
Tests conducted by the VUB also show that internet users rarely choose the most sustainable options themselves, unless there is a financial incentive, such as a lower price, which is often the case. A city dweller who chooses a relay point or an automated delivery system can reduce their ecological footprint by up to 20%.
By 2030, Bpost aims to deliver 85% of parcels in Belgium emission-free. The electrification of the truck fleet is the next step, although it will take a little longer due to factors such as still-high purchase prices.
