SSE takes on Renault Zoe Vans as part of electrification strategy

Utilities company SSE has added fully-electric Renault Zoe Vans to its fleet to help with the electrification of its commercial vehicle fleet.

The organisation is aiming to have 3,500 of its 4,000 commercial vehicles fully electrified by 2030, and it estimates that over a five-year period each Zoe Van will provide a saving of 23.5 tonnes of CO2.

The business has introduced four Zoe Vans with further eight in the pipeline. They will be used by supervisors and team leaders to visit the company’s operational sites and developments throughout Scotland.

One of the reasons they were selected was their range of 245 miles on a single charge, enabling their drivers to visit more remote areas, particularly in the north west of the country where the charging infrastructure can be limited.

Neil Chamberlain, national EV manager at SSE, said: “As an EV100 company that is committed to switching its fleet to electric and with our focus on renewable energy and making a significant contribution to building low-carbon electricity systems fit for the future, introducing the Zoe van to our operations fits perfectly with our strategy and ethos.

“The range of electric LCVs has always been a bit of an issue in the past for the roles these vehicles are used for, so that of the Zoe Van now gives us the option to make the transition and look at other areas where a van is traditionally used but there isn’t the need for a high payload.

“The comfort is a big benefit to our operatives and, for those that are negotiating the narrower, more demanding roads of the Highlands, the compact dimensions are another welcome bonus.

“With the Zoe Van we’re further lowering our environmental impact at no detriment to our operational costs or effectiveness.”

The Zoe Van is based on the regular Zoe car and has a load volume of one cubic metre and a maximum payload of 457kg excluding the driver.