Electric vehicles spark investment from Continental Landscapes

Poole-based Continental Landscapes has invested in greener transport solutions that cut operating costs by taking delivery of four electric light commercials from Carillion Fleet Management.

The grounds maintenance company has purchased two 4.6-tonne Ford Transit beaver tail and two 3.5-tonne tippers, which run solely on batteries that can be recharged overnight using mains electricity.

Carillion Fleet Management is one of only a handful of companies willing to underwrite electric vehicles on behalf of its customers – and has supplied the four vans on a seven-year contract hire with maintenance agreement.

Carillion’s Account Manager Pat Brown said: “We work independently of any specific vehicle manufacturer or financial institution, meaning we can always source the best vehicle for the job at the very best price.

“That’s why we will also explore alternative fuel technologies, such as electric vehicles, that are not often made available by fleet management companies but which can deliver cost-efficiencies to customers.”

The Ford Transit vans have been specially adapted by UK specialists Smith Electric Vehicles. Powered solely by cutting-edge Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate batteries, they boast a range of up to 100 miles on a full charge and zero tailpipe emissions, plus lower running costs than conventional fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, the 90-kilowatt induction motor has proven its urban delivery credentials with impressive acceleration and a top speed of up to 50mph.

Continental Landscapes will use the vehicles to service its contract with Poole Borough Council, for whom it carries out landscaping and grounds maintenance.

Paul Rhys-Davies, HR & Fleet Manager at Continental Landscapes, said: “As part of our contract with the council, we are required to source greener vehicles in a bid to drive down emissions in the Borough.

“Having looked at several options, I found these vehicles to be far superior to anything else and ideally suited to our requirements.”

The tippers are expected to cover around 5,000 miles per year transporting tools and materials, while the beaver tails will carry heavier machinery such as drive-on mowers to site locations – negating the need to drive them on public roads, where their limited speed can cause a hazard for other motorists.

Paul added: “Deploying electric vehicles like the Smith Edison underlines our commitment to delivering services in the most efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

“The vehicles perfectly match our requirements and those of Poole Borough Council, and we will be considering opportunities to increase our electric vehicle fleet across our nationwide operations in the future.”