Cleaner, greener council vans hit the road in Midlothian
Two brand new electric vans have joined Midlothian Council’s fleet – the first of 18 zero-emission vehicles arriving this year.
The Ford Transit EV-custom vans will help make Midlothian a cleaner, greener place to live by producing zero exhaust emissions. At the same time, they will save the council money by lowering fuel and maintenance costs.
The new vehicles will be used for a range of everyday jobs that support residents, including building maintenance, catering and environmental health. They will also be looked after by the council’s own fleet team, who are gaining new skills to maintain electric vehicles.
This investment is part of the council’s wider programme to modernise its fleet and has been supported by a £5,000 government grant per vehicle to encourage the switch to electric vehicles.
Council Leader, Councillor Kelly Parry, said: "I spent a lovely morning chatting with our hard-working mechanics and hearing how our new electric vans will save the council money on fuel and repairs, reduce accidents at work and improve air quality."
Once the 18 vehicles are delivered, Midlothian Council will have 26 electric vehicles, around 10% of its fleet, with more to come in the months ahead.