Lambeth Council adds electric Renault Kangoo to its fleet

Lambeth Council has taken delivery of six electric Renault Kangoo E-Tech vans to be used by its landscapes division.

The new vehicles will replace a fleet of diesel vans and will join the local authority’s existing Renault Zoe electric car.

Lambeth has traditionally been one of the most polluted areas in London and now has an ambition to become a carbon-neutral council by 2030.

The Kangoo E-Tech vans will be used by the landscape division’s housing supervisors and mobile fitters for daily visits to council works across Lambeth’s 10.36 square miles. As well as reducing noise and air pollution across the borough, the vans are expected to provide Lambeth Council’s personnel with a more relaxing and convenient driving experience.

An initial trial enabled the council to establish that the Kangoo E-Tech had sufficient range and size for the demands of the operational role. Fully charged, it can cover up to 143 miles.

Lambeth Council installed 13 new 7kW smart chargers across its five maintenance depots to charge the new vans. They can charge the vehicles in around six hours.

Robert Presnall, Lambeth Landscapes transport manager, said: “As a council that is striving to significantly improve air quality within our borough, we want to lead by example and have a low-emission fleet. For anything under 3.5t, we are now only considering electrified vehicles.

“The Kangoo E-Tech allows us to continue our focus on our local environment with no impact on our operational effectiveness. When you add in the lower running costs and the fact an electric van can be serviced in minutes, then it’s actually very hard to justify a diesel or petrol van of a similar size.

“The Kangoo E-Tech is perfect for what we need and for the area we operate in. It’s ideal for city traffic, has the space we require and provides a good level of comfort. We’ll certainly consider more Renault E-Tech models, and, with its range and refinement, the new Zoe Van E-Tech looks like it could be a good replacement for some of our diesel vehicles where a big payload isn’t an absolute necessity.”  

Vincent Tourette, managing director of Renault UK, added: “We are exceptionally pleased that 100% electric Renault E-Tech vehicles are playing a part in helping Lambeth Council to achieve its long-term environmental strategy and make the borough a healthier environment in which to live and work, while also noticeably lowering its fleet operating costs.”

The Renault Kangoo E-Tech can be specified in three body styles (Panel Van, Maxi Panel Van, and Crew Van) and two trim lines – Business and Business+. The Business+ specification includes such features as electrically operated and folding door mirrors, one-touch driver’s electric window, body coloured bumpers, metallic paint, and rear parking sensors. Depending on the model, it offers a load area of up to 4.6 cubic metres.