Inchcape Fleet Solutions is evaluating electric vehicles and carrying out feasibility studies on a wide range of zero emission cars and vans.

Inchcape has just completed a trial of a Peugeot eExpert developed by Glasgow-based Allied Electric, part of the Allied Vehicles Group. The zero emission vehicle is one of only two built so far, is based on the Peugeot Expert van, and has a range of up to 70 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 70 mph.

Inchcape Fleet Solutions has already evaluated a number of other electric vehicles, including light commercial vehicles from Smith Electric Vehicles based on the Ford range, the Mitsubishi i-MIEV city car, which has just gone on sale in the UK, the MINI E and Tata’s electric vehicles.

The company also tested a prototype of the Nissan Leaf towards the end of April, which is due to go on sale in the UK in 2012. Production of the lower medium sector five-seat model is scheduled to start at the manufacturer’s Sunderland plant in 2012 when the factory will become the third Nissan facility to produce the model worldwide.

Inchcape Fleet Solutions’ evaluation of electric vehicles, which has also included attending a number of manufacturer-hosted events, further raises its green credentials as it strives to help fleets reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, the uptake of electric vehicles, particularly by public and private sector fleets, is viewed by the Government as crucial in the establishment of Britain as a world-leading low carbon economy.

Inchcape Fleet Solutions took delivery of the eExpert for a 24-hour evaluation on the day that Lee Hamlett, the company’s head of technical risk and the man responsible for evaluating electric vehicles, attended the opening of a new £7.1 million South Winchester Park and Ride scheme in Hampshire.

Terry Bartlett, managing director of Inchcape Fleet Solutions said: “We anticipate that electric vehicles will play a significant part in the operation of many fleets in the future.

“A number of our utility and public sector fleet clients have expressed an interest in electric vehicles and almost every tender document that we respond to asks us to advise on the fleet feasibility of electric vehicles. It is therefore vital that we have the knowledge and expertise to inform clients on the potential use of zero emission vehicles.”
 

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