Royal Mail is rolling out a fleet of 100 micro electric vehicles (MEVs) as it strives to hit net zero by 2040.

The first MEV was unveiled at the Lady Mayor’s Show in London last weekend and in the coming weeks, 104 MEVs will be introduced in London, Bristol, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Solihull, Brighton and the Scilly Isles.

The vehicles will replace 52 larger vans and Royal Mail said they are expected to save around 242 tonnes of carbon emissions a year and make delivery rounds more efficient.

It said that due to their size, the MEVs were easier to drive and park in busy streets.

Unlike standard electric vans, MEVs can be plugged into a regular three-pin plug socket for charging.

As they do not need special EV charging infrastructure, they can be used at any delivery office, even sites that were previously ruled out due to limited yard space or electricity capacity.

The company will use a combination of Paxster and Neomar D01 models in its fleet.

Mark Riley, delivery design manager at Royal Mail, said: “Our new micro electric vehicles are a smart solution for delivering more sustainably and efficiently, especially in busy urban areas.

“By replacing larger vans with MEVs, we’re cutting emissions, improving air quality, and helping our posties deliver faster in time for the festive season.”