Taxi manufacturers LEVC partner up with SUNBELT RENTALS to deliver new electric van fleet
Updated: Mar 8, 2022
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) today announced another fleet supply deal with the establishment of a new partnership with Sunbelt Rentals – the UK’s largest equipment rental group – to supply 22 new VN5 electric vans.
LEVC’s VN5 electric van, which offers zero range anxiety thanks to its eCity range extender technology, is successfully meeting ever-growing demand from businesses for sustainable, zero-emission transport. As part of Sunbelt Rentals’ new £1.1 million investment that will transform its eco-friendly solutions to meet customer demands, the new fleet of VN5s will play a crucial role in the company’s sustainability strategy.
LEVC’s VN5 will aid Sunbelt Rentals’ ‘Our Planet’ plan, centred on its commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations by 35% by 2030. LEVC’s green VN5 is ideally suited to the demands of the workplace thanks to its flexible, tried and tested eCity powertrain that already features in LEVC’s TX electric taxis around the globe, enabling drivers and operators to cover long distances and also enter Clean Air Zones emissions-free.
Joerg Hofmann, LEVC CEO, said: “I am delighted to announce Sunbelt Rentals as another of our fleet customers in the UK. VN5 is the ideal solution for businesses looking to electrify their fleet and transition to greener mobility, offering zero-emission capability with minimal downtime and no range anxiety.”
David Phillips, Sunbelt Rentals’ Logistics and Supply Chain Director, said: “Investing in electric vehicles is a natural fit for Sunbelt Rentals; we’re always keen to stay ahead of the curve and future proof the business with increasingly sustainable practices.
“We’ve chosen to work with LEVC as our values are very similar, they’re passionate about their business and are willing to support our ambitious plan to electrify our fleet of vehicles. Through our ‘Our Planet’ action plan and in line with our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy it is our commitment to reducing carbon intensity by 35% by 2030 and, at the moment, more than 80% of our total emissions come from the vehicles that we operate.
“The VN5 is made from sustainably-sourced aluminium from Wales, and they fit the needs of our multiple business units, making them the ideal asset for the business. We have undertaken some good work to reduce our emissions in recent years which included switching to more economical and less polluting diesel-powered engines, but we recognise that we need to do more.”
The vehicle is designed, engineered and built at LEVC’s state of the art electric vehicle factory in Ansty, Coventry. The VN5 utilises the same strong, lightweight bonded aluminium monocoque and SMC construction as the TX taxi – a first in sector for the 1-tonne van segment, designed to last twice as long as the competition.
