Independent food supplier Savona Foodservice is the latest company to trial one of Tevva Motors’ range extended electric vehicles (REEV).

The company is the second customer to sign up to Tevva’s innovative Electrify initiative, which allows businesses to hire a 12-tonne eTruck for six months in order to demonstrate the environmental and financial benefits.

Savona, which has depots in Oxford and Ilfracombe, will operate a 3.9-metre wheelbase, 12t GVW truck with tail lift and a multi-temperature body capable of operating at -20 degrees to enable the transportation of frozen foods from its depot in Kidlington to businesses in central London and Oxford.

It will look to incorporate this vehicle as part of its permanent fleet and will consider additional vehicles during 2020 as part of its ongoing fleet renewal programme.

With Oxford among the first cities in the UK to implement a zero emissions zone (ZEZ) – which will restrict access to all but electric vehicles – the partnership with Tevva means that Savona will be ideally-placed to offer complete continuity of service.

Mike Morgan, managing director of Savona Foodservice, said: “We have been on the search for a suitable delivery solution for some time but conversations with other companies stopped dead in their tracks as soon as we start discussing running refrigeration down to -20 degrees.

“We’re delighted to have found a partner whose approach is collaborative and forward-thinking and who have a solution that works and is good for more than just the last mile.

“We anticipate that this solution will prove to be at least as commercially viable as traditional, diesel-based options.”

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