Vehicle management and fleet funding specialist Lex Autolease has reached a milestone in adding its 2,000th plug-in electric vehicle to its fleet.

The vehicle is a Nissan e-NV200 Electric Acenta Rapid Plus commercial vehicle and has been delivered to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

According to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of plug-in vehicles registered in the UK now exceeds 30,128, a figure which quadrupled in 2014.

Lex Autolease is responsible for around 7% of electric vehicles on UK roads, which is believed to be the largest fleet of its kind in the country.

Lex Autolease provides various plug-in electric vehicles, such as Vauxhall Ampera, Nissan Leaf, Renault Kangoo, and BMW i3, to a range of customers.

Chris Chandler, principal consultant at Lex Autolease, said: “For organisations such as Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust a move to electric vehicles can result in considerable efficiency savings and environmental benefits as their drive cycles are perfect for pure electric technology.

"The requirements of public sector organisations, especially in the NHS, can be very different from private sector businesses, and we have worked closely with the trust to develop a solution that truly meets its needs.”

Michael Taylor, Trustwide Hotel Services Officer at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The trust wanted a cost-effective transport method to replace their fleet of ageing diesel vans and reduce carbon emissions.

"We undertook a significant amount of research into how we used vehicles across our facilities, and a move to electric vehicles proved the ideal solution.

“The vehicles will be primarily used to transport goods between the four main sites of the Trust and community locations, and we have already noticed considerable efficiency savings.”

Chandler added: “At Lex Autolease, we strive to introduce environmentally and financially friendly technologies, so the delivery of our 2,000th plug-in electric vehicle is a considerable milestone for us.

"We anticipate significant growth in alternative fuel vehicle registrations as more businesses and organisations become more informed of the benefits.”

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