John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is to roll out electric delivery vans by 2021 as part of its grocery delivery expansion and push to become more eco-friendly.
The vans are designed to save more than 20,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, and come alongside the retailer’s aim to end the use of fossil fuels across its transport fleet by 2030.
The vehicles will be used for Waitrose food and small John Lewis deliveries.
JLP is also building a dedicated biomethane gas filling station to enable its largest heavy goods vehicles to use a low-carbon alternative to diesel. This, it said, will reduce CO2 emissions by 80%, with each truck saving over 100 tonnes of CO2 every year.
The move comes in response to JLP’s online business growing “significantly” during the coronavirus crisis.
The upmarket grocer currently delivers to almost 90% of postcodes across the country via its shops and two fulfilment centres in London. It will open a third distribution centre by the end of the year as well.
The Waitrose Rapid delivery service, which offers customers up to 25 items within two hours, has also trebled its deliveries to 7,000 per week.
“As our online services rapidly expand, we’re working hard to meet our goal of operating a zero fossil fuel in the next 10 years,” said Justin Laney, general manager of central transport at JLP. “Our new electric vans are an ideal solution for home deliveries. The innovative design means they’re more efficient, but also respectful to the environment and the growing number of neighbourhoods in which we deliver.”
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