The Scottish Wholesale Association is giving members the opportunity to rent electric trucks at a reduced cost for up to one year.
Wholesale and supplier members will be able to hire a fully electric Renault E-Tech D 18-tonne HGV for 12 months at the near equivalent of renting a diesel HGV.
The vehicle will be available in rigid, curtainsider or refrigerated form, according to the renter’s needs.
The association has partnered with Renault Trucks and contract hire company Vertellus to offer the new service.
Members will be able to claim back £3,000 or £1,000 per month for the first three months of using the new service. The hire company will also supply the required charger at no cost.
“We are delighted to partner with the SWA to support its members in decarbonising their fleets,” said Carlos Rodrigues, managing director of Renault Trucks UK&I.
“The time to drive the transition to greener freight transport is now, and the SWA is perfectly positioned to lead this change across Scotland.”
SWA head of sustainability Ylva Haglund added: “The offer is for a 12-month trial rental period, with a breakout period after three months, the hope of which is to build confidence within the wholesale channel and help transition members to net zero fleets as part of their ongoing vehicle replacement strategy.”
The service launches nine months after the SWA started its electric HGV trial across Scotland in partnership with Volvo, Renault and Vertellus.
The trial’s outcome was recorded in case studies used to inform members about how to transition their fleet to electric vehicles.
The initial test was part of the association’s road to net zero by 2040 goal, in line with the UK-wide target and ahead of the Scottish government’s 2045 target.
Haglund added: “Our [Decarbonising the Scottish Wholesale Sector] report further shows that there are differences in emissions for different sizes of wholesalers, with vehicle emissions accounting for a higher proportion of emissions from SMEs.
“There is much work still to be done and while it is crucial that we address logistics emissions to reach net zero, there must be investment in infrastructure, along with more help and advice for businesses.
“The cost of zero-emission HGVs is significant, and we hope that our members take advantage of this latest opportunity to rent a fully electric Renault 18-tonne HGV for 12 months, as part of their transition to a net zero fleet.”
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