The Isle of Man Post Office is pilot testing a Mega Multitruck electric van - which has a striking similarity to the vehicle used by the children’s TV character, Postman Pat.

“We were asked to consider environmentally sound solutions when it came to vehicle replacement, much like Royal Mail’s Carbon Management Programme, which has reduced carbon emissions from their national distribution fleet by 28% over the last few years,” explained Post Office MD, Malcolm MacPherson.

“In this instance we chose an electric vehicle because it is fume and odour-free, silent and extremely cost-effective to charge up, and we selected an ultra-light vehicle as it offers a payload suited to the route.

“The Mega Multitruck van is proving itself to be very well-suited to urban collections and deliveries.

"It has the pulling power we need and its compact size is a big plus because frequent stops and parking in tight spots are routine.”