Northgate Vehicle Hire has added ECO-Start Mercedes-Benz Sprinters to its fleet.

Northgate will operate the green LCVs on fleets run by subsidiaries Delta Vehicle Hire, which is based in Southampton and covers the South East; Cartrux Vehicle Hire, which is centred in Birmingham and covers the West Midlands and Bristol & West Vehicle Hire, which is centred in Bristol, with locations covering the South West.

ECO-Start is a factory-fitted option on all Sprinter models with four-cylinder diesel engines and manual transmissions.

When the system is active it will automatically stop the engine when the vehicle is stationary, and when certain predefined vehicle conditions are met, after a two-second waiting period.

The engine will automatically restart when the clutch pedal is pressed.

In an urban environment with heavy traffic the fuel savings can be substantial.