A modern electric ‘milkman’ fleet

Milk & More, Britain’s largest milk delivery service, is rolling out its quietest and most environmentally friendly delivery vehicles to date, following its purchase of 200 electric StreetScooters. GreenFleet finds out more from the firm’s CEO, Patrick Müller

What does Milk & More do and what is its fleet comprised of?

As the largest home deliverer of milk to the doorstep, Milk & More’s 1,100 milkmen and women deliver milk and an ever-evolving range of high quality products to more than 500,000 customers across England and Wales. We make 80 million deliveries, delivering over 100 million one-pint glass bottles every year. Customers have the choice of ordering via our new-look website or directly with the traditional British milkman.

We have some 1,200 milk floats, including 200 brand-new StreetScooter electric vehicles and 200 traditional electric milk floats. The remainder of our milk floats are diesel vehicles, which are used on some of our more rural, typically larger, rounds.

What led to the decision to buy electric vans?

We are always looking at ways to improve our carbon footprint. Sixty per cent of the milk we deliver to the doorstep comes in our iconic one-pint glass bottles, which are reused on average 25 times.

With the purchase of 200 of the new StreetScooter milk floats, a third of our milk floats are now electric. The StreetScooter is an ideal fit, from an environmental and noise reduction standpoint, for both us and our customers. We’re on a transformational journey and the StreetScooter electric milk float helps us make the British milkman relevant to 21st century customers.
 
How many EVs do you operate and how are they used?

We have around 400 electric milk floats in total – representing around a third of our fleet. They are used by our milkmen and women to deliver milk – and lots more besides – to customers in time for breakfast. 

Where are the EVs charged?

The new electric milk floats are plugged in to dedicated charging points at the 25 delivery hubs across the country where they are in operation.

How have the drivers taken to the electric vehicles?

Our milkmen and women have really taken to the new StreetScooters. They are particularly appreciative of the fact that they offer the latest technology, not only in terms of performance but also when it comes to comfort. They also appreciate that the new vehicles are left-hand drive, which enables them to exit the milk float safely on the kerbside.  

How much are you saving in emissions and costs?

The new StreetScooters have zero emissions and in the first month of operation we saw a 90 per cent reduction in operational fuel costs versus the outgoing diesel vehicles.

Are there any other benefits to EVs other than emissions?

Noise reduction is a key customer benefit of the new milk floats – and a very important one – given that many of the milkmen and women are delivering to customers’ homes before 7am.

What are your future plans for greening the rest of the fleet?

The £6.5 million investment in the new StreetScooter milk floats is part of our long-term strategy to rejuvenate the doorstep milk delivery service and secure the future of the British milkman and woman. Once we’ve had an opportunity to review the performance of the new electric milk floats we’ll make a decision on whether we’ll further expand our fleet. So watch this space for further announcements.