ALD Automotive UK are trialling a fleet of 20 Mercedes C350e Plug-In Hybrids (PHEVs).

The PHEVs have been assigned to ALD UK company car drivers to recreate the conditions of a typical business fleet. Over the next six months, the ALD consultancy team will monitor and assess the results, with data from the trials used to design a blueprint that enables customers to use PHEVs in their own fleets.

The company’s head office in Bristol has been built to fully cater for the PHEV fleet and other electric vehicles. Charging points have been installed in the company car park and there are plans to connect roof solar panels. The fleet will be run as sustainably as possible throughout the duration of the trial.

ALD Consultancy's services manager Matt Dale said: “As the debate around air quality continues, the uptake of alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) is on the rise and companies appear to be leading the way."

This latest trial, which focuses specifically on PHEVs, will help us understand the sorts of challenges and considerations our customers face when taking the leap into the AFV space.

Dale said: “While there’s a vast array of information available to fleets looking to adopt AFVs, we plan to go one step further. We want to be able to talk to our customers from a position of experience and be entirely confident in the advice we give them so that they can make reasoned and well informed decisions.”

Each vehicle has been fitted with ALD’s telematics device, ProFleet, which will gather key journey data, such as mileage and fuel consumption.

The information, due to be released at the end of the year will be used to help customers wanting to renew their contracts or update their fleet policy.

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