One of Ireland’s leading automotive distributors, the Harris Group has reported record sales of its LDV zero-emission electric vans for the first quarter of 2019 with more than 350 EV80 vans sold by the group.
LDV has become a leader in the electric commercial vehicle sector in Ireland and the UK, since launching its flagship EV, the LDV EV80 in 2016; a large, zero-emission panel van that can achieve up to 193 km (120 miles) on a single charge.
The EV80 is already a popular choice with business owners who are keen to embrace greener motoring and cut down on fuel charges.
“The interest in zero-emission LCVs has been phenomenal in the past year in particular, and we’ve certainly seen an increase in the number of business owners and fleet buyers seeking out LDV for their greener motoring needs in the past few months,” said Mark Barrett, General Manager of LDV UK & Ireland. “We are one of the few suppliers that can provide businesses owners and decision makers with an entire fleet of zero-emission LCVs right now, regardless of order size.
“There has been a huge investment in zero-emission motoring by SAIC, which manufactures LDV. An investment of more than 15 billion RMB (approx. £1.6 billion) has been made for new energy vehicle (NEV) R&D with a real commitment to introducing more EVs to the global market.”
Modern-day milk floats
Customers in the UK who have contributed to the record EV sales for the Harris Group include Milk & More, a food delivery service based in the UK with an order of nearly 160 modern-day electric milk floats.
Hefty congestion charges in the British capital prompted the City of London to invest in EV80s for use by the Barbican Library, the City of London Cemetery & Crematorium and the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, which will help the City of London move closer to its goal of becoming the first authority to run a full zero-emission fleet.
Other organisations that have made a commitment to greener motoring are McGee Construction, Tesco and Sainsbury, proving LDV’s EV80 is truly becoming business owners’ first choice when it comes to choosing an EV van.
In Ireland, An Post, which Ireland’s national postal service, will have its first batch of 36 units on the roads this summer following a successful trial period.
DPD Ireland has also invested in EV80 high roofs, which will join the new fleet at the courier company’s EV Hub in Dublin city centre, which aims to deliver parcels across the capital with zero emissions.
EV80s little brother launched in Q2
According to SIMI, sales of electric Light Commercial Vehicles in Ireland are on the rise, which is in line with global EV forecasts.
In response to growing interest and demand, The Harris Group unveiled the second model in its zero-emission range, the LDV EV30, at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, earlier this year. The EV30 is a smaller commercial vehicle, which is kitted out with the highest technical specs and a range of 321km/ 200 miles on a single charge, ensuring that is 100% respectful of the environment and nippy enough for that long city commute. It will be available for order from Q1 2020.
Through its investment in the EV80 and new EV30, LDV is making it easier than ever for SMEs to go green, offering a range of variants under the EV80 badge including chassis cab, crew cab and minibus.
“It’s great to see the greener motoring movement gain ground in Ireland and the UK, but in order to see continuous growth, there needs to be increased attention on charging logistics and support for motorists and business owners looking to make the switch. The government needs to step up its support for businesses as they embrace the green revolution, or risk failing to reach its ambitious 2030 targets,” said Mark Barrett.
