Ordering your groceries at Coles Online just got greener thanks to the addition of the supermarket's first fully electric delivery van that from today will complete up to 240 orders a week in Flagstone, Queensland.
The delivery van, named Sparky by Coles team members, will emit less emissions than petrol powered vehicles and save up to $170 on fuel each week.
The EV will also be quieter to run compared to other combustion engine vehicles and won't be required to idle, or run the engine when not in motion in order to keep groceries at optimal temperature, which will reduce up to 3 hours of emissions each day.
The new addition comes as Coles pledges to install electric fridges in 500 of its delivery vans following a successful trial that ran earlier this year. The vans will operate up and down the east coast of Australia and will emit fewer emissions and reduce running costs.
With Coles Online orders now delivering to 95% of the Australian population 7 days per week, the supermarket is proud to be offering a more sustainable way for households to receive their groceries.
Coles General Manager of Online Network & Growth James Geddes said the new EV delivery van will support Coles to achieve its target of reducing scope 1 & 2 emissions by more than 75% by 2030.
"We are proud to introduce our first fully electric vehicle to our fleet of Coles Online delivery vans. Making around 40 deliveries to customers each day, the EV is a quieter, more efficient vehicle that produces fewer emissions than a petrol-powered vehicle," James said.
"With up to 20,000 Coles Online deliveries made 7 days per week across 95% of Australia, we are in a unique position to introduce more sustainable ways of delivering groceries to our customers. We look forward to using the insights gained from this trial to welcome more electric vans to our growing fleet around the country soon," he said.
The initiative is in partnership with Custom Fleet who is proud to help support Coles achieve its sustainability ambitions, as well as maximise efficiency and meet customer demand for more environmentally friendly delivery options.
"We are happy to partner with Coles on this positive sustainability initiative. These vans have zero tailpipe emissions and offer a reduction in noise pollution. They also need less maintenance and are more comfortable to drive due to less vibrations," said Chris Tulloch CEO Custom Fleet.
In addition to the new electric delivery van, Coles has partnered with Linfox in the trial of an electric-powered truck in the retailer's Supply Chain that will avoid more than 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year.
Coles is also partnering with Toll Group and Nexport to trial the first electric yard tractor in its Supply Chain. Capable of near 24-hour continuous operation and delivering zero emissions, the yard tractor is currently operating at a Coles Distribution Centre in Melbourne. Coles also introduced ten online delivery vans equipped with solar-powered electric fridges in parts of Victoria and Queensland.
