Speedy trials green van

28 September 2020

Of all the thousands of words that I’ve written on this site since launching it back in June, the most frequently used would doubtless include, coronavirus, crisis and unprecedented. On a more positive note, another one would be green.

During lockdown many people became aware of the environment around them and started making real efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and tackle waste while spending more time at home. They also appreciated the cleaner air from traffic-free roads.

Like many organisations, hirers have been looking at ways of becoming more eco-friendly for some time, and Speedy has announced an initiative with LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) which is developing an electric van.

Called the VN5, the vehicle is derived from the LEVC’s TX taxi. It offers a range of 61 miles on electric drive, extending to more than 300 miles when used alongside a petrol engine to recharge the battery.

The VN5 has a side-loading door plus a 60/40 split rear door, and it has a gross payload capacity of over 800kg. Speedy is amongst 25 businesses trialling the van for collections and deliveries.