Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is HomeServe’s mpg champion

HomeServe, one of the UK’s leading providers of home emergency and insurance products, has invested in a fleet of Euro 5 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters after a trial unit surpassed its main competitor in a fuel test.

Thanks partly to its innovative ECO-Start technology, which saves fuel and reduces emissions by automatically cutting the engine whenever the vehicle is stationary, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was a full 1.5mpg better than its nearest rival in a head-to-head evaluation.

HomeServe was impressed with the demonstrator’s 32.41mpg average and placed an order for 60 Medium-length, high-roofed Sprinter 313CDIs, all of which employ the ECO-Start system.

The new fleet is being supplied by North East dealer Bell Truck and Van. As the vehicles’ Euro 5 engines are not only cleaner but also even more fuel efficient than the Euro 4 version that powered the original demonstrator, HomeServe is looking forward to making even bigger savings on its fuel bills, as well as significant reductions in its carbon emissions.

Fleet Manager Adam Rickard said: “Reducing our carbon footprint was the main criterion in our minds when we embarked on this process, but we wanted to do so without compromising our standards on performance or load space. This meant we had to find a vehicle that combined the most efficient engine with a practical and easy-to-access load area, while also being strong and reliable.

“We narrowed down the choice to a couple of contenders, then ran them over a two-day trial to measure their fuel economy – which is where the Sprinter played its winning card, by coming out as the leader.”

HomeServe’s new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters are being fitted with tracking devices to accurately record the mileage they cover; used in tandem with fuel usage data, these figures will allow HomeServe to monitor their mpg performance with a high degree of accuracy over their projected four-year working life.

The vans also feature optional speed limiters that will prevent them exceeding 70mph, which have been specified as an additional means by which to improve fuel economy as well as increase safety.

HomeServe runs a fleet of 360 vans, each of which is used by a mobile engineer providing emergency plumbing and other services to homeowners nationwide. Its Sprinters have been adapted for the task by racking and storage specialist Bott, of Ashby de la Zouch. The cargo bays have been divided in half with the forward areas carrying racking and cabinets for tools, spare parts and accessories, and the rear sections waterproofed and fitted with jetting machinery for unblocking drains.