Interest in the use of hybrid and electric vehicles has grown over the past decade, mainly due to the quest for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions, writes Matthew Beecham.
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Converging market drivers, such as congestion charging, oil pricing, energy security, vehicle maintenance costs, and punitive legislative measures on vehicle emissions, are now applicable to a global marketplace. There can be no doubt that the ‘green’ credentials of hybrids have proven attractive to consumers, national and state governments, and manufacturers.
Major companies across Europe – including Scottish & Southern Energy, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Federal Express and TNT Express – have stepped up a gear in the battle to be the greenest delivery fleet owner. Given that delivery vans do a lot of stop-start driving, electric drive makes perfect sense. In fact, recent studies in the UK have shown that the average speed in 12 of the largest British cities is 18mph. In these conditions, the conventional combustion engine is at its least efficient and most pollutant.
For its part, TNT Express and CEVA Logistics (formerly TNT Logistics) is just over half way through a 12-month pilot testing two 7.5 tonne zero-emission electric vehicles in and around central London. The vehicles were built by Smith Electric Vehicles. The TNT Express vehicle is operating from the company’s Barking depot while the CEVA Logistics model is based at its Starbucks operation in Basildon, Essex. If the green trial proves successful, TNT says it will consider adding 200 other electric vehicles to its fleet to serve in other urban locations across the UK.
Steve Davis, national engineering manager for TNT UK, told just-auto: “Range performance will dictate to a large degree the number [of electric vehicles] that we can take into the UK fleet. However, we have calculated that we could have potentially 200 of these electric vehicles in our fleet today at the daily mileage range that [the 7.5 tonne Newton van] is providing. That is equivalent to about 10% of our total UK fleet.”
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By GlobalDataTNT also has a number of bespoke operations which are not directly related to its parcel network. Davis added: “I have been inundated with requests from the customer about the viability of using this type of [electric] vehicle on specific operations. So these requests are in addition to the potential 200 electric vehicles.”
TNT could potentially add electric vehicles to its European fleet, too. “I am talking to my colleagues in a number of other countries,” said Davis. “We are currently evaluating whether they can integrated in their respective operations.”
In comparing the fuel cost of running one of Smith’s Newton 7.5 tonne electric vehicles with a diesel vehicle in London, TNT states: “This vehicle is exempt from the London congestion charge – approximately GBP1,750 a year – incurs no road tax and is battery-driven. It costs just GBP25 a week to recharge the battery as opposed to GBP110 spent on fuel for a diesel vehicle.” In addition, TNT points out a number of other benefits from using its electric van, including:
- it is exempt from the requirement to have an operator’s licence;
- it does not require a tachograph; and
- it qualifies for free-parking in areas of London.
The fact that these electric vehicles do not have to pay the London congestion charge is a big plus to using them. Yet does the picture change when it comes to introducing these electric vehicles in other UK cities where no such congestion charge is in force? “The congestion charge is an important factor in the overall cost calculations,” says Davis. “However, based on my engineering experience, I believe that because of the fact electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, this [Newton 7.5 tonne] vehicle will outperform the operational life of a diesel equivalent, returning a seven year operating life with TNT.
On that basis, the congestion charge in terms of the overall cost of ownership becomes less important because, while I know the payback on these vehicles is five years with congestion charges, I can be certain that TNT can easily get the money back if we can stretch the operational life to seven years.”
Matthew ‘Beechy’ Beecham
