Organic fruit and vegetable supplier Riverford has welcomed 10 new Vauxhall Vivaro-e electric vans to its fleet and plans to go fully electric by 2025.
The Devon-based business is using the vans to make deliveries in and around its first fully-electric hub in Bristol.
It aims to turn 100% of its national fleet electric by the end of 2025, with its new Vivaro-e vans estimated to help save more than 68 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Jason Holt, Riverford’s head of logistics, said: “We chose Bristol as the site of our first fully-electric delivery hub because of its green reputation and commitment to climate change.
“We know customers there will be thrilled that their veg boxes will now be delivered emission-free, and we’re looking forward to expanding our electric van fleet across the country.
“Electric vehicles are an absolute no-brainer for all delivery businesses, especially Riverford where we pride ourselves on being environmentally conscious.”
The Vauxhall Vivaro-e was named the 2021 International Van of the Year and is available with 50kWh or 75kWh battery configurations. Capable of up to 205 miles from a single charge under WLTP testing, the Vivaro-e supports up to 100kW rapid charging with an 80% charge taking 30 minutes for 50kWh models and 45 minutes for 75kWh variants
Richard Hughes, light commercial vehicle director at Vauxhall, said: “Riverford is another fantastic British business embracing electric vans and working towards a more sustainable future. The Vivaro-e is the ideal choice for fleets looking to reduce not only their environmental impact but also their operating costs, all without compromising capability.”
The Vivaro-e comes with a 6.6 cubic metre maximum load volume and a 1,226kg maximum payload capacity, and is capable of towing up to one tonne.
It comes after British Gas signed a deal for a further 2,000 Vivaro-e electric vans from Vauxhall.
The fleet agreed to an initial order of 1,000 electric vans last summer. All 3,000 electric vehicles will be on the road by 2022.
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Matt has been an automotive journalist for eight years. As senior staff writer he is responsible for the automotive content on Fleet News and also contributes to Automotive Management. Prior to this, Matt worked in the automotive industry for 10 years.
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