“Cleaner Air for London” trials
The first wave of fleets participating in the Ford Transit plug-in hybrid van (PHEV) London trial, starting this autumn, have been confirmed. The project will explore how lower-emission plug-in hybrid electric vans can both support cleaner air and also boost productivity for operators in urban conditions – the toughest working environment for commercial vehicles.
Supported by Transport for London, the project will involve a year-long trial of 20 new Ford Transit Custom PHEVs that reduce local emissions by running solely on electric power for the majority of inner-city trips. The vans will be equipped with “range extenders” in order to cope with longer journeys.
The confirmed fleets include: Addison Lee; Transport for London; the Metropolitan Police; Clancy Plant; and British Gas.
In a statement issued yesterday (24 April), Ford commented: “The participating fleets represent a cross-section of city-based businesses which will integrate the vans into their day-to-day operations. Using a Ford telematics system, each Transit PHEV will collect data on the vehicles’ financial, operational and environmental performance to help understand how the benefits of electrified vehicles could be maximised.”
In addition, Ford also announced that Mark Harvey has been appointed Director of Urban Electrified Van programme – a new position at Ford in the UK.
Harvey will work directly with Transport for London, the participating fleets, and the Ford development team, to bring manufacturer, consumer and city together to better understand CV use in a megacity.
“CV use is incredibly varied from sector to sector,” said Harvey, “and the trial should give us some really interesting insight into how CVs are used across a range of industries in the city, allowing us, as a manufacturer, to better develop electrified CVs that work for the customers, whilst also improving air quality.”
**********
Post&Parcel Live: Solving the Inner City Challenge
Triangle will be hosting its first-ever Post&Parcel Live seminar this Thursday (27 April) and we will be tackling one of industry’s biggest issues head-on: the challenge of inner city deliveries.
Electric vans, bikes and trikes; self-driving cars, flying drones, pavement-pounding robots – all manner of new and innovative delivery vehicles will be discussed and reviewed at the seminar. We will also be looking at the other technologies and methodologies that are helping the industry to meet the burgeoning demand for next-day, same-day and within-the-hour delivery.
Post&Parcel Live: Solving the Inner City Challenge will be held at the Hallam Conference Centre in London this Thursday (27 April).The event is sponsored by On the dot and what3words.
Click here for more information about the event.
