Photograph, "Handover of the first electric Hansa-Lloyd parcel delivery vehicle used by the Deutsche Reichspost (Imperial German mail service), at the Berlin posting station"

As electric cars had already been used by the Reichspost on a trial basis since 1899, in 1908 the Reichspostamt launched a full-scale trial of Hansa Lloyd electric delivery vans in Berlin and Leipzig. The photo shows the new vans in the courtyard of the Postfuhramt in Berlin. Electric vehicles were particularly beneficial for short distances and small transport loads. The post office used them mainly in local and suburban areas. The trial was so successful that in Berlin in 1911, a further 31 vehicles of the same model were bought.