CitySprint is trialling a hydrogen van as part of its wider ambition to create a completely emission-free fleet in the Capital by 2020.
Marking the first use of hydrogen vehicles for courier services in the UK, the new van – developed in partnership with Renault – will be trialled on distribution work for facilities management giant Mitie over the next six months with a number of clients.
Emitting only water, the hydrogen fuel cell van has a range of over 200 miles and joins CitySprint’s growing green fleet, which now includes 22 cargo bikes – up from the previous 10 – with plans to roll the bikes out to other UK cities such as Manchester in the future. The electrically assisted vehicles can carry the load of a small van – up to 50kg – saving four tonnes of emissions per annum per bike compared to a small van while completing jobs up to 50% faster on average in central London.
CitySprint also runs four electric vans and is currently working with a number of Masters students from the University of Southampton on greener, urban solutions under its collaboration with FTC 2050 (Freight Traffic Control) – an organisation aiming to reduce energy demands through collaborative logistics.
Patrick Gallagher, CitySprint Group CEO, commented: “Since the launch of our green fleet this August, we’ve already cut back on our CO2 emissions by as much as 10 tonnes. The trail of a hydrogen van is on a long list of environmentally friendly vehicles we have tested over the years. We hope that along with our growing cargo bike fleet, this can prove to be a sustainable option and continue our commitment to reducing air pollution across the UK cities we operate in.”
