Leeds City Council has added 122 all-electric Renault Kangoo Z.E.33 vans to its fleet.
The new vans bring the council’s total number of electric vehicles to over 330 as part of its plan to become a carbon-neutral authority by 2030.
Most of the new vans will be used for council services, but 20 are available to local businesses through the EV Trials Scheme. This partnership with Highways England lets businesses and organisations try an electric van for free for up to two months to find out if it works for them.
Including the 20 new Kangoos, Leeds now has 50 electric cars and vans available to trial. Each van is equipped with a telematics device, which gathers journey and charging data. The users can then access a tailored report that highlights the findings and the environmental and potential financial benefits that transitioning to an electric vehicle can generate for their business or organisation.
The Kangoo Z.E.33 has a range of 143 miles and is available in panel van, maxi panel van and crew cab van body styles – the largest offering 4.6m3 of cargo space. The Kangoo Z.E. is priced from £19,380, excluding VAT, but including the Government’s plug-in van grant.
Councillor James Lewis, deputy leader at Leeds City Council, said: “Leeds City Council already operates more electric vehicles than any other local authority and we are a proud signatory of the Clean Van Commitment. Not only are zero emission vans better for the environment and air that our communities breathe, but they are also cheaper to run and maintain than traditional vehicles.
“We know that switching to electric vehicles feels like it would be a leap in the dark for some, so we’re looking forward to sharing the benefits of these vans free of charge with businesses and charities across West Yorkshire as part of our EV Trials scheme.”