Zero-emission deliveries
At VPD, we are making the transition to zero-emission deliveries.
To meet everyone's needs, our fleet consists of different types of electric vehicles: vans and fully electric trucks. Our goal: 80% zero-emission vehicles by 2025.
Expansion of our electric fleet
In 2023, we put our first 100% electric trucks into service, and four more will arrive this year. Additionally, about thirty electric vans are already on the road, meaning that one-third of our deliveries are currently electric.
This has several advantages:
- Electric vehicles emit no harmful exhaust gases during driving, which helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Electric vehicles are quieter than combustion engine vehicles, providing a more comfortable driving experience for drivers and causing less noise pollution, which is important in urban areas.
- Our vehicles are mainly charged with electricity from the solar panels at our green hub, making us less dependent on fossil fuels.
Before purchase, the vehicles are thoroughly tested for load capacity, range, and after-sales service quality.
Less kilometres, more eco-friendly driving
In addition to transforming our fleet, we are also making efforts to reduce the number of kilometres travelled and drive in a more eco-friendly manner. This starts with an efficient planning tool that proposes routes based on the shortest possible distance from our various hubs. This strategic network allows us to start the last mile delivery as close to the final customer as possible.
The driving behaviour of our drivers also plays a role. They are coached on their driving style and consumption by DrivOlution, our external partner specialised in economical and safe driving.
Lean and Green: 27% Less CO2 Emissions
We are proud to carry the prestigious Lean and Green Europe label. This non-profit program encourages and supports companies to drastically reduce the CO2 emissions of their transport and logistics activities.
A few years ago, we launched our ambitious action plan to reduce our CO2 emissions by no less than 27% over five years. After a thorough evaluation and audit, we received the label in recognition that we are well on our way to achieving our goal by 2025.
Green Energy Hub
In 2023, our headquarters in Zellik was transformed into a Green Energy Hub, in partnership with WDP, our logistics partner.
12,000 m² of solar panels were installed on our roof, providing a peak power of 1.5 megawatts. A portion of this naturally generated energy is stored in our own battery with a capacity of 800 kilowatts. This is connected to 30 charging points for our electric vehicles. Part of our site is also permanently open as a public charging point where anyone can recharge their vehicle.
Thanks to these investments, our headquarters is almost self-sufficient. We also want to transform our other buildings into green hubs to reduce the energy consumption of office buildings and warehouses and further electrify our fleet.