The postal services worldwide have been undergoing tremendous change. Digitalisation has led to a reduction in the volume of letters, magazines and newspapers to be delivered. At the same time, the explosion in eCommerce has led to a rapidly growing volume of parcels to be delivered. Either way, it is crucial that the postal services increase efficiency in the last mile.

Meanwhile, urban populations continue to grow. By 2030, almost 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Traffic congestion and air pollution are pressing problems, calling for safer, greener, more efficient solutions for delivery of post and goods.

Paxster is specifically designed for last mile distribution of goods – that is, delivery from a transportation hub to a final destination in the home. Produced in Norway, the vehicle can withstand rough road and weather conditions. The small size of the vehicle makes it efficient in traffic and easy to park. Its small environmental footprint makes it an ideal delivery vehicle for cities.

Approximately 2.3 metres long, Paxster has a payload of 240 kg, a range of 78-141 km, and a maximum speed of 45 or 60 km/h.

Paxster is a semi-open vehicle with a front windscreen and roof, but no doors, allowing the driver to move quickly in and out, with post always in reach in front of the driver. This enables delivery companies to cover a larger geographical area with the same amount of human resources in an environment-friendly manner.

In addition to environmental benefits, the all-electric, emission-free Paxster also offers economic benefits, such as savings on fuel and time. This will help to reduce the total cost of ownership, which is of particular interest to companies with a large vehicle fleet. Moreover, the vehicle is ergonomically designed to reduce “wear and tear” on delivery personnel, which could lower sick-leave rates.

Using Paxster, postal services can also cultivate a green image as an early adopter of clean technology.

The postal sector employs about 1.8 million people in the EU alone. There is a pressing need to increase efficiency and go green in this sector, so electric vehicles designed specifically for this purpose will be very attractive.

In addition, countries across Europe are banning petrol and diesel cars in city centres, moving the market further towards adoption of emission-free delivery vehicles.