Nine new Nissan E-NV200 vans have replaced the old diesel vehicles as part of the council’s fleet electrification programme.
All nine vehicles have been fitted with ovens and fridges by Vantastec to support the Meals on Wheels service which delivers 1,700 dinners across the city every week and covers around 73,000 miles a year.
Four new electric charging points have also been installed at the council’s Culwell Street Depot to charge the vehicles.
The City of Wolverhampton Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has made a commitment to be net carbon neutral by 2028. The council endorsed an action plan last year setting out the steps it will take to meet the ambitious target.
The council has around 450 vehicles in its fleet which currently are responsible for emitting 2,500 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide into the environment each year. This is around 25% of the council’s total emissions, which has prompted the council to urgently put a programme in place to electrify its fleet, alongside its partner organisation Wolverhampton Homes which uses vehicles supplied by the council.
Councillor Steve Evans, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, said: “By replacing older, polluting diesel vehicles with zero emission electric alternatives, the council is delivering on its pledge to be net zero by 2028.
“These new vehicles will be more economical and cheaper to maintain as well as preventing significant amounts of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that our Meals on Wheels service is one of the first to benefit from the new zero emission electric vehicles. It is one of our most popular services, delivering a hot, nutritious meal to anyone in the city who needs it, as well as a friendly face and a kind, caring driver who keeps an eye on people and takes time to have a chat.
“Not only does the service care about its clients, but with these new vans it is demonstrating that it and the council also cares about the planet too.”
Meals on Wheels in Wolverhampton delivers hot, nutritious meals at a reasonable cost. The service is available to anybody who wants it, and deliveries are flexible to suit customer requirements. For more information, please visit Meals on Wheels.
