ONE of the UK’s biggest container and cruise liner ports is on course for a greener future thanks to Nissan.
Facilitated through West Way Southampton, the Port of Southampton has taken delivery of 10 Nissan e-NV200s and three Nissan LEAF cars, to be used by Associated British Port (ABP) staff on the vast site.
ABP chose to make the electric switch after Southampton was named as one of five UK cities required to implement Clean Air Zones — charging the most polluting vehicles for driving in the city — by 2020. Southampton was named by the World Health Organisation as one of 40 locations in the UK to breach air safety levels, mainly due to vehicle emissions.
ABP Director Alastair Welch said: “As one of the city’s biggest employers and largest employment sites, we are keen to lead the way where we can.
“The introduction of these vehicles to our fleet will not only contribute to improvements in local air quality but will also reduce running costs.
“We plan to monitor the performance of the vehicles going forward to allow us to track environmental improvements. I hope we are able to replace an increasing number of vehicles in our fleet with electric or hybrid equivalents in the coming years as the available technology develops.”
The 10 Nissan e-NV200s, which have a range of 106 miles on a single charge*, and the Nissan LEAFs, which have a range of up to 155 miles on a single charge*, are the first all-electric vehicles in the ABP fleet, and the first step in a series of initiatives the company is planning to implement in the coming months to reduce its environmental impact. Permanent rapid chargers are set to be fitted on site soon.
Andrew Robinson, Southern Regional Business Manager at West Way Nissan Southampton, located on The Causeway, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to provide the Port of Southampton with these vehicles and help it on its journey to be more eco-friendly. By making steps such as these, Southampton will get on the road to becoming a healthier place for us all.”
* Based on New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) figures
