NZ Post ditching Paxster EVs?

More than 400 electric Paxster delivery vehicles may be scrapped by NZ Post.

“Our Paxsters were designed with recycling in mind, so when they come to the end of their life, the plastic, aluminium and steel components, and batteries can all be easily separated and recycled,” says the NZ Post website.

The Paxters are likely to have their batteries repurposed and parts recycled.

The Paxster review comes after NZ Post announced in June last year that it intended to layoff more than 750 staff over five years in response to declining mail.

NZ Post reduced mail delivery in urban areas from six times a week to three times a week, consolidated delivery branches and processing sites and introduced more automation.

Mike Scaife from off-grid nursery Te Rito Gardens in Porirua, Wellington, asked NZ Post if he could buy one of the Paxsters which could be re-purposed to tow a small trailer of plant cuttings around the nursery and “never used on any public road”.

He says he was told “no” as NZ Post couldn’t sell any Paxsters, which he was told are to be scrapped.

Scaife believes most of the Paxsters would have a useful service life and he wonders why the decision not to sell has been made.

He says he saw an EVs and Beyond story which prompted his NZ Post enquiry.

NZ Post has been invited to comment.