The LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) has struck a fleet deal with Sunbelt Rentals to supply 22 new VN5 electric vans.
Sunbelt Rentals’ new £1.1 million LEVC VN5 fleet aims to help the company’s ‘Our Planet’ plan, centred on its commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations by 35% by 2030.
LEVC’s eCity powertrain features in LEVC’s TX electric taxis around the globe, offering a pure EV range of more than 60 miles and a total range of 304 miles.
There’s a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet that can fire up and recharge the van while it’s driving. Unlike a plug-in hybrid, the engine doesn’t drive the wheels – that’s always done by the electric motor.
The 31kWh battery is bigger than the one you’ll find in some electric cars and provides enough range to suit the needs of most urban operators, says LEVC.
With up to 5.5m3 capacity, VN5 cargo capacity accommodates two Euro sized pallets and offers a gross payload of up to 830kg.
It has been built with a large side-loading door (enabling a pallet to be side-loaded) and a 60/40 split door at the rear to make loading and unloading easy for the driver.
Joerg Hofmann, LEVC CEO, says he is “delighted” to announce Sunbelt Rentals as another of our fleet customers in the UK.
“VN5 is the ideal solution for businesses looking to electrify their fleet and transition to greener mobility, offering zero-emission capability with minimal downtime and no range anxiety,” he added.
David Phillips, Sunbelt Rentals’ logistics and supply chain director, says that the company was keen to stay ahead of the curve and future proof the business with increasingly sustainable practices.
He explained: “We’ve chosen to work with LEVC as our values are very similar, they’re passionate about their business and are willing to support our ambitious plan to electrify our fleet of vehicles.
“Through our ‘Our Planet’ action plan and in line with our environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, it is our commitment to reducing carbon intensity by 35% by 2030 and, at the moment, more than 80% of our total emissions come from the vehicles that we operate.
“We have undertaken some good work to reduce our emissions in recent years which included switching to more economical and less polluting diesel-powered engines, but we recognise that we need to do more.”
Designed, engineered and built at LEVC’s electric vehicle factory in Ansty, Coventry, VN5 utilises the same strong, lightweight bonded aluminium monocoque and SMC construction as the TX taxi.
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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
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