Electric vans will go on trial with some of the country’s biggest and greenest fleets following the announcement by the Department for Transport (DfT) of a list of approved suppliers of low and zero carbon vehicle technology.

The trials could lead to Government funding to help persuade UK fleets to choose electric vehicles.

Three electric van manufacturers – Modec, Smith Electric Vehicles and Allied Vehicles – are included, along with Ashwoods, which retrofits electric/diesel hybrid systems.

The publication of the list is the next phase of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme, which aims to accelerate the use of greener light commercial vehicles.

Suppliers that submitted proposals were assessed against a range of criteria, including anticipated carbon savings, wholelife environmental impact, performance and reliability, value for money, level of innovation and technological development and credible plans for mass market commercialisation.

Trials will now take place in the fleets of partner organisations selected for their environmental track-record and fleet-greening aspirations.

These include the Royal Mail, the Environment Agency, the Metropolitan Police, HMRC, Transport for London, the Government Car and Dispatch Agency and six local authorities – Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle & Gateshead, Leeds, Coventry and Central London.

The vans will initially be trialled in limited numbers of between 100 and 150.

The DfT will provide grants towards the extra cost of buying the vehicles as opposed to conventional diesel-powered models.

Adrian Vinsome, head of programmes for Cenex, the Centre of Excellence for low carbon and fuel-cell technologies, which is leading the initiative, said: “By offering the manufacturers a market for their products – and a potentially much larger market in future through the wider public sector – the programme hopes to stimulate innovation and encourage manufacturers to bring forward R&D.

"This will accelerate the introduction of sustainable, energy-efficient technologies that will help the Government to meet its carbon reduction targets and benefit us all in the longer term.”