Tesco has begun trialling electric vehicles in its home delivery fleet of vans, as part of its move to net zero by 2035.
The new van will be used initially in Dún Laoghaire, serving hundreds of households as part of the store fleet at Bloomfield Shopping Centres. Powered by renewable energy from a dedicated charging station at the shopping centre, the van has a range of 160 kilometres.
Tesco has committed to become net zero in its own operations by 2035.
“In this critical time for climate action, we have a responsibility to drive change. We all have to play our part to take immediate actions to shape our future,” said Geoff Byrne, chief operating officer, Tesco Ireland.
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“Currently, we use sophisticated route planning and driving management systems for grocery home shopping which help schedule smarter routes for our vans, resulting in less miles travelled and fewer carbon emissions. Through these systems, our fleet is predicted to achieve a reduction of 430 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Adding an electric vehicle into this mix is a further step in the right direction and should see a further 13 tonnes of CO2 removed in the next 12 months.
The news was welcomed by Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy Ossian Smyth. “This van is larger than your average electric vehicle, and will be able to deliver groceries, including frozen and refrigerated goods, all from batteries powered by renewable energy,” he said. “I commend Tesco for introducing this pilot here in my constituency of Dun Laoghaire.”
