CitySprint, the London-based delivery company, is trialling a hydrogen powered van and has doubled its fleet of cargo bikes with the aim of having an emission-free fleet by 2020.
Developed in conjunction with Renault, the new van has a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity which is fed to the electric motors via a battery pack. The trial is being conducted in partnership with facilities management company Mitie who will run the vehicle for six months on CitySprint’s same-day delivery service. With a range of 200 miles on a tank of hydrogen the Kangoo-based vehicle will be able to perform a whole day of duty without refilling.
In addition CitySprint has added 12 cargo bikes to its existing fleet of 10 following a successful trial. Electric assistance allows them to carry up to 50kg and the company claims on average the bikes can complete delivery routes 50 percent faster than an equivalent van as well as saving four tonnes of CHG emissions per year.
CitySprint CEO Patrick Gallagher said, “Since the launch of our green fleet this August, we’ve already cut back on our CO2 emissions by as much as 10 tonnes. The trail of a hydrogen van is on a long list of environmentally friendly vehicles we have tested over the years. We hope that along with our growing cargo bike fleet, this can prove to be a sustainable option and continue our commitment to reducing air pollution across the UK cities we operate in.”
