The future has arrived: we’ve finally got solar-powered postboxes. If you’re thinking ‘I didn’t know postboxes required any energy in the first place’, you’d be right. They didn’t - until now.
Royal Mail is officially rolling out brand new versions of the iconic red pillar boxes with solar panels on top as part of a drive to increase efficiency as it faces increased competition from companies like Evri and Yodel. The new panels will power electric drawers which will allow people to post small parcels directly from a postbox, rather than trekking to a post office.
As online shopping becomes more and more popular, parcels are taking up an increasing share of things that we’re sending by post. This leaves traditional postboxes and their small letter-sized openings pretty unhelpful, causing potential customers to turn to private companies which might be cheaper or more convenient, usually offering drop-off spots in local supermarkets, corner shops, or lockers.
Royal Mail unveiled the ‘postbox of the future’ back in April. It’s hoping that making letter boxes parcel-friendly will earn it back a share of the market lost to these competitors. ‘Our message is clear’, a representative from the company told the BBC; ‘if you have a Royal Mail label on your parcel, and it fits, put it in a postbox and we'll do the rest’.
Packages as big as a shoebox will now fit, although in order to access the separate parcel drawer customers will need to scan the label on their package, which is where the solar panels come in.
The unit will only open up and allow you to post an oversized item once it has been scanned. This means that the system requires a small amount of electricity to function, which will be gathered from the brand new solar panels. They’ll be facing due south in order to get as much energy as possible on classic British grey weather.
You’ll still need to print out your own label, so for some the post office may remain the most straightforward way to send parcels and large letters.
The futuristic postboxes were trialled in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire with much success, so they’re now coming to Edinburgh, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester. After that the company aims to eventually have them across the country.
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