Toyota Proace Electric joins Nottingham City Council’s Electric Van Experience scheme

Nottingham City Council has added nine Toyota Proace Electric vans to Electric Van Experience (EVE) scheme, which lets potential users discover the benefits of zero emission vans before deciding on a purchase.

The council has also added a further three Proace Electrics to own vehicle fleet.

Businesses in Nottingham can borrow an electric van through the EVE scheme for up to 30 days, to make sure it will suit their needs before buying.

Councillor Sally Longford, deputy leader and portfolio holder for Energy and Environment at Nottingham City Council, said: “The Electric Van Experience is a great opportunity for local businesses and organisations to test drive a range of vehicles, giving them the chance to experience first-hand the financial and environmental benefits.

“With the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030, and our own ambition of becoming the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2028, we want to support local businesses and give them the confidence to make the switch to greener vehicles permanently.

 “We know that different businesses have different needs, and we can provide a variety of vans to suit any purpose. The Toyota Proace was an obvious choice – with a high capacity battery and a one tonne payload, it offers one of the best ranges and load capacities currently available on the market.”

The vans were purchased through the council’s ULEV procurement framework and will be maintained by Nottingham Electric Vehicle Services (NEVS), the exclusive service centre run by the council. The Electric Van Experience has been funded with a £2.69m grant from Highways England

Stuart Ferma, general manager Toyota and Lexus Fleet, said: “Nottingham City Council’s initiative demonstrates the acceleration of interest in the benefits and opportunities of a new generation of electric-powered vans and we’re confident that Proace Electric will prove a popular and effective choice.

“Together with its recent national awards, Proace Electric has made an instant strong impression and we’re looking forward to increasing our market reach with the addition of the Proace City Electric small van to our line-up later this year.”

The Toyota Proace Electric medium-duty panel van is available with a choice of a 50 or 75kWh lithium-ion battery, giving a zero-emission driving range of up to 205 miles.  Fast charging to 80% battery capacity can be achieved in less than an hour and there is no compromise in load-carrying ability or payload.