Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Jersey Post to trial two Renault electric delivery vehicles

Jersey Post will be trialling two all-electric delivery vehicles from next month, to evaluate the technology compared to conventional commercial vans.
The Channel Island postal operator will be testing out a pair of Renault Kangoo ZE vehicles on a six-month trial to include the peak Christmas period.
The company said it wants to see whether electric vans can cope with its heavy workload while saving fuel and servicing costs – as well as helping the environment.
Jersey Post said it has decided on the Renault Kangoo ZE because it is the electric version of the compact van it already uses, allowing a direct comparison.
The trial will see the Post working on the trial with Bagot Road Garage, which is supplying the vehicles, as well as island power company Jersey Electricity.
Jersey Post fleet and transport manager Nick Perchard-Rees said his company wanted the facts and figures to help it make an informed decision about the future of its fleet.
He said: “We won’t be going easy on these trial vans just because they are electric. We are serious about reducing our carbon footprint and we need to know the technology is up to the task.”
Postal
The Renault Kangoo ZE has become a popular electric vehicle for postal operators to try. Post Luxembourg was one of the latest to order the model, buying 30 of the vehicles. The Kangoo ZE has also been ordered by the likes of Russian Post, An Post, Austrian Post, Deutsche Post and La Poste Group.
The vehicle charges from a 32amp wall charging unit, but can also be charged from a conventional wall socket, and manages 106 miles on a single charge according to Jersey Post.
The company said it is constantly looking for ways to improve its efficiency and service, and electric vehicles could complement existing bicycle delivery as a “complete eco-friendly solution”.
Jersey Post is expecting the vehicle to offer a longer life and lower overall running costs, and if it proves successful more of the company’s 120-strong fleet could turn electric.
Jersey Post chief executive Kevin Keen said: “If this trial is successful it will provide a very elegant solution for how we want to run our vehicle fleet in the future.”

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