Vertellus launches new vehicle contract hire service

VERTELLUS LAUNCHES NEW VEHICLE CONTRACT HIRE SERVICE WITH A DIFFERENCE

Vertellus has launched an innovative new commercial vehicle contract hire company designed to offer modern businesses a partner to help drive fleet performance, now and in the future.

Vertellus will be spearheaded by a highly qualified team with widespread contract hire experience and will work in partnership with the customer to provide a 360-degree commercial vehicle contract hire service and is backed by over 100 years of knowledge and experience from the Renault Trucks network, which also provides a nationwide reach with more than 60 approved partner locations, including Diamond Trucks at Newtownabbey outside Belfast and Diamond Trucks UK at Warrington in Cheshire Comments Diamond Trucks dealer principal Iain Latimer: “Vertellus won’t totally replace our own contract hire service to our local customers, but it will certainly complement and support our offering on a national basis, and it will also help our customers with their transition to a more sustainable way of doing things, by reducing carbon emissions, not least through electric mobility.” The four key elements of Vertellus’ contract hire approach include a personalised consultancy designed to understand how the current fleet operates; provision of a comprehensive and tailormade vehicle hire and maintenance solution; additional services to include driver training, fleet monitoring, PCN administration, replacement vehicles, tyre management, telematics and more. With a portfolio of more than 3,500 long haul, construction and distribution vehicles – across the HGV and LCV range from 2.7t up to 44t – Vertellus says it is committed to providing industry-leading transport solutions, including through its availability of 100% electric powered vehicles. Nigel Baxter, Managing Director at Vertellus said: “Vertellus is a commercial vehicle contract hire company with a difference. Rooted in partnership, with our highly-trained OEM dealer network and approved partner

(Left to Right) Carlos Rodrigues, Managing Director of Renault Trucks UK and Ireland; Nigel Baxter, Managing Director of Vertellus; Nicholas Beatty, Founder Director at Zenobé.

RENAULT TRUCKS ARE DELIGHTED TO BE PARTNERING WITH VERTELLUS TO HELP DELIVER OUR AMBITION FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

Vertellus introduces groundbreaking electric commercial vehicle Discovery Programme to accelerate takeup of BEV by operators.

locations around the UK, Vertellus has been created to support customers on every step of their journey, guaranteeing complete peace-of-mind and quality assurance. “We also understand that customers will be at differing stages of their decarbonisation journey, so the Vertellus team will work to ensure companies have everything required to keep the current diesel fleet powered, compliant and economical, while also having an eye on tomorrow to support delivering long-term goals.”

DISCOVERY PROGRAMME

As part of its commitment to support businesses in accelerating a seamless transition to an electric vehicle fleet, Vertellus has also unveiled its EV Discovery Programme. Designed to encourage, inspire and support the introduction of electric vehicles into fleets and onto UK roads, while also providing a full in-life support service, the groundbreaking EV Discovery Programme signals a serious intent by Vertellus to actively support customer’s low carbon agenda and decarbonisation journey. Initially introducing 30 electric vehicles from 16-18 tonnes with box, curtainsider and fridge bodies, these ready-to-operate vehicles are delivered to customers with a temporary charging solution, which can be installed on site at the vehicle base. Zenobé, the EV fleet and battery storage specialist, will be providing aDC 60 kW solution that includes its bespoke software to manage the eTruck charging. It will also provide a 24/7 helpline and a performance guarantee. Adds Nigel Baxter: “We understand that when it comes to switching to an EV contract hire fleet there is so much more for the business to think about than with a diesel vehicle, which is why we have designed the Discovery Programme to remove the complexity and hassle out of your energy transition, so operators can accelerate the process of reducing the carbon footprint of their fleets. “Introducing EVs across an entire fleet is likely to happen in stages, however, the Vertellus EV Discovery Programme solution identifies operations and sectors where this technology can work for businesses and provides operators with an opportunity to hire the electric vehicles, and therefore test the technology, in their own day-to-day environment.” The Vertellus EV Discovery offer is a three-month programme based on usage, with customers contracting a minimum of 3,000 kWh per month – equivalent to circa 40,000km per annum. Pricing for box and curtainsider vehicles is £1.50/kWh and for refrigerator vehicles it is £1.90/kWh, with this cost including all expected standard full contract hire services. In addition to this, the cost includes the charging infrastructure meaning that customers only then pay their energy provider for the electricity they use. For customers with more demanding usage requirements, Vertellus, in partnership with Zenobé, can upgrade the charging infrastructure to a DC 120kW fast charging solution that includes a 160kWh battery storage, designed to allow the double shifting of vehicles.

READY TO USE SOLUTIONS

Carlos Rodrigues, Managing Director of Renault Trucks UK and Ireland, adds: “Renault Trucks are delighted to be partnering with Vertellus to help deliver our ambition for a more sustainable future. Our product offering is very strong and in partnership with Vertellus and Zenobé we are providing customers with a ready-to-use solution. Vertellus delivers the first real BEV Equipment as a Service (EaaS), backed by more than 60 network locations and an infrastructure of highly qualified technicians, all ready to serve customers. “The Discovery Programme will help fleets throughout the UK achieve a significant reduction in carbon emissions and we look forward to working with Vertellus and supporting companies in taking the necessary steps to adopting electric vehicles.” Alongside the personalised EV consultancy and market-leading vehicle options, the Discovery Programme is also supported by a comprehensive and complete charging solution provided by Zenobé. With operations in the UK, Australasia and Europe, Zenobé supports around 25% of the UK EV bus sector and has circa 50 fleet electrification projects live or in process. Following an initial consultation to establish customer requirements, Zenobé will supply the charging solution to power the vehicles through the 60kW or 120kW chargers with optional additional battery storage.