The move marks the first phase in a process that will see the operator upgrade its entire fleet of more than 400 vans to Euro 6 specification as soon as possible.
The new legislation comes into force on 1 September – from that date, all new vans sold must meet the reduced pollutant limits. However, rather than stock up on Euro 5 vehicles at a lower capital cost while it can still do so, HSS has chosen to embrace the technology early.
Group logistics director, David Phillips, explained: “HSS is determined to run the cleanest commercial vehicles available, in line with our commitment to reducing emissions year-on-year. This is a bold, positive move for HSS and we are extremely proud to be leading the way in the plant hire market.”
Supplied by north-west Dealer Roanza Truck & Van, HSS’s first Euro 6 Sprinters will all be 314 CDI Long chassis cabs with dropside bodies by PPS Commercials, of Bury. This model’s advanced 143 hp four-cylinder engine employs both EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) and BlueTEC SCR (selective catalytic reduction) diesel technology to reduce emissions.
The Euro 6 legislation demands that outputs of nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollutants, which have an impact on local air quality, be slashed by more than 50%. The Euro 6 Sprinter’s BlueTEC SCR system achieves this requirement by feeding the exhaust gases through a catalytic converter, where they are mixed with the AdBlue additive which further purifies them before they exit the tailpipe.
The 314 CDI offers increases in both power, up from 129 to 143 hp, and torque, which rises from 305 to 330 Nm. To increase fuel efficiency and cut emissions HSS limits its delivery vehicles to a maximum speed of 65 mph, but the extra muscle is expected to help still further by reducing the need for gear-changes.
The subject of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services funding agreements, the new vans are due to begin entering service in August and will be maintained within the Mercedes-Benz UK Dealer Network – the fleet is managed on the operators behalf by Leeds-based Contract Vehicles Ltd (CVL).
HSS operates from a network of 300 locations, 50 of which have opened within the last year. It runs 265 Sprinters, 27 of them in Ireland, which are used exclusively to deliver tools and plant equipment to customers, and collect them at the end of their hire periods.
The company’s fleet also includes 137 mid-sized Vito vans, which are driven by engineers who undertake on-site repairs and servicing work, and five small Citans.