ROYAL MAIL EMBARKS ON EMISSION-CUTTING TIRE TRIAL FOR ELECTRIC VANS

The six to nine-month trial will see innovative tires fitted to selected electric vans to test their emission-reducing and efficiency-enhancing capabilities. This week, Royal Mail is embarking on a trial in which emission-reducing tires will be fitted to some of the Company’s electric vans over the course of six to nine months. The trial, a partnership between Royal Mail, Transport for London (TfL) and tire manufacturer ENSO, aims at making Electric Vehicles (EVs) even cleaner to further improve air quality. Although electric vehicles issue zero tailpipe emissions, their tires may emit more particulate matter and road wear compared to diesel and petrol vehicles, due to their increased weight and torque. The special tires are expected to produce fewer microparticle emissions compared to standard tires and could also improve efficiency by extending electric vehicle range. Fifteen electric vans at the West London Delivery Office, near Wembley, will be fitted with the specialist tires. During the trial, the tires will be monitored and weighed every six weeks to measure their wear rate, estimate particulate matter emitted, and range achieved in comparison to standard tires. If the trial is successful, its results may inform future purchasing decisions across Royal Mail’s fleet. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/19/royal-mail-tests-new-tyres-cut-air-pollution/