A NEW group of electric vehicles are driving Denbighshire County Council’s goal to reduce carbon fleet emissions.

The authority has taken delivery of five new electric Toyota Proace City vans.

The new zero emission vans will continue the council’s drive to replace the existing diesel fleet with electric vehicles following the declaration of a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency in July 2019 and commitment to seeking to become a Net Carbon Zero and Ecologically Positive Council by 2030.

Each new addition to the fleet, which has been supported by the Welsh Government energy service, is capable of achieving a range of 175 miles which will allow Denbighshire County Council employees to travel around the county on a single charge ensuring that the current high standards of service delivery are unaffected.

 

Denbighshire Free Press: The new electric Toyota Proace City vansThe new electric Toyota Proace City vans

 

Across the council, there are now currently 25 all electric vehicles in the fleet.

The electric vehicles are a mix of small to medium vans and support service delivery from highways and environment to ICT and housing services.

READ: Denbighshire in drive to tackle climate change

Tony Ward, the council's head of highways and environmental services, said: “We are pleased to be able to continue to refresh our fleet with electronic vehicles to support us in achieving our goal of becoming a Net Carbon Zero Council.

“We plan to continue to increase the percentage of zero emission vehicles within our fleet, with several more additions already planned for the future. These include two electric refuse collection vehicles to support our recycling team, a five seater electric car to support the homelessness team and an all-electric all-terrain vehicle for use in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) at Loggerheads.”