Austrian Post: zero-emissions delivery in Graz

Austrian Post achieved its goal of creating a pure electric fleet in Graz. Since October, all letters, parcels, print media and all advertising mail in the capital of Styria have been delivered with zero emissions. Swiss Post has put more than 200 electronic vehicles into service for this purpose.

Delivery takes place via one base at the main Graz train station and one directly at the Styria logistics center in Kalsdorf. While Swiss Post equipped the delivery base at the train station with 65 e-cars, 15 e-scooters, 52 e-bikes and the corresponding charging infrastructure in September 2020, the delivery base in Kalsdorf was electrified in September this year. Since then, 70 electronic vehicles – and for the first time also large electronic parcel delivery trucks – have been stationed at the site. New software controls the performance of on-site charging stations.

As part of the “Green Graz” project, Post 2020 has also started a project with a central city hub in Andreas-Hofer-Platz. Thanks to this recharging point, parcel handlers no longer have to travel back and forth between the Styrian logistics center in Kalsdorf and Graz, but instead start and end their working day in the city center. This reduces unnecessary empty trips, improves delivery rounds and thus eases urban traffic as a whole, according to the Swiss Post. After testing with several delivery vehicles, City Hub is now a permanent in-city parcel delivery facility. From there, deliveries are made using the drawbar-guided electric pallet truck that is operated by foot.

For Austrian Post’s charging systems in Graz, a total of 65 charging stations have been operating at the train station delivery base since September 2020. Eleven of them are 22 kW charging stations. Another 70 charging stations (including 22 chargers with a capacity of 22 kW) were installed at the logistics center in Kalsdorf in September 2021. Green electricity is only shipped from Austria.

In principle, Austrian Post is striving for zero-emission connectivity across the country by 2030 and wants to electrify its fleets in more than 130 locations. Install 2400 AC and DC charging points. Mobility House (TMH) is participating in the main project as a technology partner.