The new Toyota Proace Electric van is joining an electric vehicle initiative that lets businesses and drivers trial zero-emission vans for their fleet.
A total of nine Proace Electric vans are now available on the Electric Van Experience (EVE), which is hosted by Nottingham City Council and funded with a £2.69m grant from Highways England.
A further three Proace Electrics are being added to the council’s own vehicle fleet.
Councillor Sally Longford, deputy leader and portfolio holder for energy and environment, said: “The Electric Van Experience is a great opportunity for local businesses and organisations to test-drive a range of vehicles, giving them the chance to experience first-hand the financial and environmental benefits.
“We know that different businesses have different needs, and we can provide a variety of vans to suit any purpose. The Toyota Proace was an obvious choice – with a high capacity battery and a one-tonne payload, it offers one of the best ranges and load capacities currently available on the market.”
The EVE programme enables businesses to borrow an electric van for up to 30 days. The scheme is open to voluntary and public sector organisations as well as private businesses in Nottingham.
Launched earlier this year, the Toyota Proace Electric medium-duty panel van is available with a choice of a 50 or 75kWh lithium-ion battery, giving a zero-emission driving range of up to 205 miles. It can be fast-charged to 80% battery capacity in less than an hour and has the same load-carrying ability and payload as diesel-engined versions.
Stuart Ferma, general manager Toyota and Lexus Fleet, said: “Nottingham City Council’s initiative demonstrates the acceleration of interest in the benefits and opportunities of a new generation of electric-powered vans and we’re confident that Proace Electric will prove a popular and effective choice.
“Together with its recent national awards, Proace Electric has made an instant strong impression and we’re looking forward to increasing our market reach with the addition of the Proace City Electric small van to our line-up later this year.”
