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Vivaro-e in strong demand RWD eSprinter will boost range and payload EAV works with Ford Spin
Vivaro-e in strong demand
Vauxhall continues to win deals with its all-electric Vivaro-e. Facilities management company Mitie has ordered 655 of the vans, while organic fruit and vegetable supplier Riverford has taken 10 of the battery-electric models.
The first Vivaro-e delivered to Mitie takes the company’s fleet of EVs over 1,000 vehicles, as it pushes to adopt EV technology across the company. Mitie has ordered the Luton-built vans in a mix of L1 and L2 models, all powered by the larger 75kWh battery, delivering a range of up to 205 miles. The vans will be used by the company’s frontline engineers and they have been specially kitted out with all of the necessary equipment, while keeping weight low to boost driving range.
“When we began our EV journey 18 months ago, we thought switching our big vans would be one of our biggest challenges,” said Mitie’s director of sustainability and social value, Simon King.
“With Vauxhall helping us overcome this hurdle, we’re very pleased to be marking our milestone 1,000th zero emission vehicle. With over 600 more to join our fleet this year, we’re making great progress towards our target of 2,021 EVs in 2021.”
Riverford’s ambitions may be on a slightly smaller scale, but they are no
less ambitious. The Devon-based company aims to turn its entire fleet to EVs by 2025. The firm will base the 10 Vivaro-e vans at its first all-electric hub in Bristol.
“Electric vehicles are an absolute no-brainer for all delivery businesses, especially Riverford, where we pride ourselves on being environmentally conscious,” said Jason Holt, Riverford’s head of logistics.
RWD eSprinter will boost range and payload
Mercedes-Benz Vans has confirmed that it will build rear-wheel drive eSprinter vans and chassis, with production starting in the second half of 2023. The vans, which will be built in Germany and in North America, will use a new drive motor that is built into the rear axle, making it easier for bodybuilders to work with a flat chassis.
Offered in two wheelbases, there will be a choice of three battery capacities, all of which will sit within the chassis. The next eSprinter will offer far higher payloads, as the rearwheel drive chassis will be able to operate at 4.25-tonnes, well above the current front-driven van’s 3.5-tonne limit. Mercedes is also promising at least double the current driving range.
The company will continue to use front-wheel drive for the eVito, though the van may get a version of the larger battery used in the eVito Tourer people-carrier, which offers a much-improved driving range.
EAV works with Ford Spin
Oxfordshire firm Electric Assisted Vehicles (EAV) has launched the EAV2Charge, a lightweight commercial vehicle based on its EAV2Cubed model. The company, which already supplies DPD, Asda and Ocado, has worked with Ford’s Spin e-scooter division, to develop an urban collection and distribution vehicle for Spin’s e-scooter trials across the UK. The first vehicles are due to be delivered to Spin’s site in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, where Spin will be trialing the use of e-scooters this summer. The EAV2Charge vehicles will be used to collect e-scooters and redistribute to popular rental locations, repair and possibly recharge the scooters in transit.
“We need vehicles for our business that move us towards becoming a carbon negative company by 2025,” said Spin’s UK country manager, Steve Pyer. “But we also need them to carry spare batteries, tools, replacement parts and have space to move e-scooters around to meet changing demand.”
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