London-based couriers Mango Logistics has taken on what is believed to be the UK’s first used Mercedes-Benz eVito.

The company has replaced a diesel van with the fully-electric vehicle as part of its ambitions to run an emissions-free fleet by the end of this year or early 2022.

Henri Purvis, last mile consultant with Mango Logistics, said: “We were already running a pair of smaller plug-in vans and 20 electric cargo bikes for city centre deliveries.

“The next step was a larger van to handle bigger deliveries.”

Mango Logistics was established 20 years ago and initially used a fleet of motorbikes and small to medium-sized vans to transport parcels and documents around the capital.

“The delivery sector in London has undergone rapid change, though, and is still evolving fast,” said Purvis.

“The vast majority of our work is carried out inside what is now the ultra-low emissions zone than takes in much of the city centre.

“We’ve invested heavily in our electric cargo bikes, each of which can carry up to 250kg, but they’re not a solution for every situation.

“Sometimes we need to carry heavier loads over longer distances, so electric vans are the answer.”

The company has installed a charge point at its base so the eVito can be charged overnight, while it also has a range of accounts which enable it to use some of the public charging infrastructure if needed.

Purvis said the company wanted a fully-electric van quickly without a huge lead time, and found its eVito at Ciceley Commercials when searching on the internet.

He added: “Our eVito arrived in perfect condition, looks great in our livery and has already slotted seamlessly into the business.

“It’s a fantastic advert for our emissions-free delivery business.”