Parcel carrier Yodel has taken delivery from Mercedes-Benz of its first, lower-emission Euro 6 vans.

The 200 Sprinter 314 CDI Long models will be based across the company’s nationwide network of 55 service centres.

They arrived via the Bolton branch of Dealer Ciceley Commercials and have joined a fleet of more than 800 vans, the vast majority of which also wear the famous three-pointed star.

Yodel delivers millions of parcels each week to every postcode in the country. Direct replacements for Sprinters that have been stood down, the new vans will each clock-up some 27,000 miles per year.

Yodel executive chairman Dick Stead said: “We have been relying on Mercedes-Benz Sprinters since we began trading in 2010. They have proved to be extremely well built, with a genuine appetite for hard work.

“This robust dependability, supported by the fact that our drivers really like their vans, is what’s kept us coming back for more – although with these latest versions we’ve taken the opportunity to improve our specification in some key areas of safety and security.”

Yodel’s first Euro 6 vans are powered by advanced 143 hp four-cylinder engines which offer significant rises in both torque and power compared to the previous equivalent model.

Yet thanks to the employment of both Exhaust Gas Recirculation and BlueTEC Selective Catalytic Reduction technologies, they also offer reduced exhaust emissions that easily meet the latest European standards.

The vehicles are additionally fitted with the factory-option Parametric Special Module, a programmable computer interface which allows the customer to set a series of parameters controlling their performance and functions.

Yodel has opted to introduce settings that disable the radio whenever reverse gear is selected; limit reversing speed to 10 mph; switch on the hazard lights whenever a door is opened; and lock the doors automatically whenever a driver moves away from the vehicle or when the van is on the move. Safety has been further enhanced by the addition of optional reversing cameras.

“These improvements have made a great van even better, so we’re delighted with our new Sprinters,” continued Stead. “The support we receive from Mercedes-Benz is excellent too. We’ve always dealt with Ciceley Commercials and they look after us extremely well, while staff at the other dealer workshops across the country in which our vehicles are maintained also provide a very high level of service.”

Yodel works with retailers in a wide variety of sectors including fashion, leisure, health and beauty, home and garden, electrical, gifts, publishing, entertainment and industrial components, as well as offering specialist handling for delicate items such as wine and flowers.

The company was formed in 2010 as Home Delivery Network, then rebranded in the same year after it acquired the B2B and B2C operations of DHL Express UK.