By Abbas Nazil
Amazon has announced significant initiatives to decarbonize its transportation network in the UK, marking a major step towards achieving its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The measures include the introduction of rail deliveries, the country’s largest order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs), and innovative on-foot delivery solutions in central London.
For the first time, Amazon will utilize the UK’s electric rail network for large-scale goods delivery, with over 20 million products expected to be transported via rail this year.
Goods will be collected from stations near Amazon’s delivery and fulfillment centers and moved along the fully electric West Coast Main Line, which runs from Scotland to the Midlands. Plans are underway to expand these rail routes by year-end, further reducing reliance on road transport.
Complementing this initiative, Amazon has placed the UK’s largest order of electric trucks to date, acquiring more than 140 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks and eight Volvo FM Battery Electric trucks.
These vehicles boast an impressive range of 310 miles (500 kilometers) and are projected to handle over 300 million packages annually.
To support these vehicles, Amazon will deploy advanced charging infrastructure, including 360kW chargers capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20 percent to 80 percent in just over an hour.
In London, Amazon is further reducing emissions by implementing on-foot deliveries in collaboration with the boroughs of Hackney, Westminster, and Islington.
Delivery personnel will use carts restocked on-the-go from strategically stationed vans. This innovative approach complements the company’s existing fleet of electric vans and e-cargo bikes, which now serve more than 70 percent of London’s Congestion Charge zone.
Since 2022, Amazon has completed over 150 million deliveries in the UK using electric vans and cargo bikes, with electric vans covering 19 million miles and cargo bikes cycling over 900,000 miles on routes traditionally covered by fossil-fuel-powered vehicles.
Nicola Fyfe, EU Vice President of Amazon Logistics, emphasized the importance of these efforts, stating, “Decarbonizing our transport network is key to achieving our net-zero goals.
This combination of eHGVs, electric rail, and innovative delivery methods enables us to move customer orders with zero exhaust emissions. It’s a win for our customers, the environment, and our business.”
These developments underline Amazon’s commitment to sustainable logistics, setting a benchmark for decarbonizing transport in the UK and beyond.