Australia Post is trialling three-wheeled electric vehicles in Brisbane.

Australia Post says the Swiss-built e-vehicles can carry three times as many parcels as a postie on a bike or on foot.

The battery-operated three-wheelers can carry 195 kilograms, reach speeds of 45 kilometres per hour, operate for up to nine hours, and recharge entirely overnight.

Queensland State Manager Angela Creedon says the eight-week pilot program could show how the postal service can respond to changing industry and consumer needs.

“We have chosen Coorparoo, Woolloongabba and East Brisbane [for the trial] because they're areas everyone loves online shopping, it's up about 8 per cent year on year,” Ms Creedon said.

“To make jobs sustainable for our posties, we need to have more small parcels for them to deliver, so to get more parcels onto a vehicle we need something that can handle volume.”


Seventy per cent of Australia Post’s total revenue comes from parcels, compared to just 25 per cent 10 years ago.

Postman Craig Patrick says the battery-operated vehicles are a lot safer than motorbikes.

“I've been a postie for 15 years and when you're on your bike you can't leave it unattended, whereas as soon as I tap off this it locks everything and I can go away safely and leave it without worrying,” he told the ABC.