Royal Mail is set to trial two new micro electric vehicles, (MEVs), for letter and small parcel deliveries, as part of the company’s wider push to reduce carbon emissions.

The two micro vehicles, respectively the Paxster Cargo and the Ligier Pulse 4, are hoped to enhance the company’s ‘green’ credentials, and will be deployed and assessed through trials in residential areas as a potential lower carbon alternative to larger vans, which are typically shared by two postmen.

The trials are set to assess whether giving two postmen access to separate vehicles could provide greater flexibility on busy routes in a more environmentally sustainable way.

With a load size of between 1.2m3 and 2.0m3, the vehicles can accommodate more than an average daily round’s worth of letters and small parcels. The vehicles are charged using a standard three-pin plug.

Simon Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at Royal Mail said: “Our fantastic postmen make most deliveries on-foot, this already means we have the lowest reported CO2e per parcel of major UK delivery companies. From drones to electric vehicles, fuel efficient tyres to bio-CNG trucks, we’ll keep on innovating to reduce our environmental impact even further.”