The local authority has invested in a Smith Edison van from Smith Electric Vehicles, as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) low carbon vehicle procurement programme (LCVPP).

Based on the Ford Transit panel van, Edison has a range of up to 100 miles on a full battery charge and a top speed of 50mph. Liverpool is deploying the Edison in its Premises Management Unit, which is responsible for maintenance and repairs of around 2,500 public buildings throughout the city, including schools, cemeteries, parks and cruise liner terminals.

John Carrington, transport services manager from Liverpool City Council said: “The electric van is perfect for the lower mileage requirements of our Premises Management services. It is clean, quiet and a pleasure to drive.

“The purchase of this initial van will help us to grow our understanding of electric vehicles, as we gather data from its performance and running costs. This experience will inform our future purchasing strategies of low carbon vehicles.”

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