Northern Ireland Water has taken an important step towards becoming carbon-neutral by taking possession of its first all-electric Nissan vans.
The decision to add four e-NV200s to its 600-strong fleet has won high-level political approval for the company.
NI Water is the sole provider of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland and its vehicles are a familiar sight to members of public, with staff providing an essential 24/7 service, 365 days a year, to all areas of the province.
Nichola Mallon, Infrastructure Minister at the Northern Ireland Assembly, said: “NI Water has an ambitious strategy to address the climate emergency and become carbon-neutral by 2050.
‘‘As the biggest user of electricity and the second largest landowner, they have a unique opportunity to do this by harnessing their assets for a wide range of environmental initiatives.
“Tackling the climate crisis is a priority for me and since taking up office I have been actively supporting the introduction of electric vehicles. The arrival of these vehicles is a major step forward, demonstrating NI Water’s commitment to nature and their ambition to reduce their operational impact to enhance and protect the natural environment.
‘‘I am sure this is just the beginning in delivering vital water and wastewater services through cleaner, greener transport for the benefit of our environment and our communities.”
Des Nevin, NI Water’s Customer and Operations Director, said: “A reliable, efficient fleet is vital for NI Water staff to deliver essential water and wastewater services for the community. Given NI Water’s commitment to health, the environment and the economy, our use of alternative-fuel vehicles is under continual review.
‘‘With around 600 light commercial vehicles and heavy goods vehicles, NI Water recognises in particular the importance of decarbonising our fleet.
‘‘Ahead of the ban on the sale of many new petrol and diesel vehicles, we have been actively considering how, when and where to upgrade to the various forms of alternative-fuel technology. It is exciting to see the tangible impact of that work in the form of the first delivery of four new e-NV200 vehicles from Nissan.”
Karen Reid, Corporate Manager for Fleet Sales at Nissan, said: ‘‘We are really proud to work with Northern Ireland Water and support their efforts to decarbonise.
‘‘We applaud proactive organisations who are leading in this space and very thankful to NI Water for choosing our brand. We wish them the best and look forward to maintaining the relationship as they continue to introduce electric vehicles to their fleet.”
The e-NV200 is the ideal electric commercial vehicle for businesses of all shapes and sizes. As well as zero tailpipe emissions, it delivers low operating costs, high efficiency and surprising levels of performance. Equipped with the same 40kWh battery as the Nissan LEAF, it has a maximum range of 187 miles in city conditions and a maximum cargo capacity of more than four cubic metres.
From left to right in the centre of the picture, with four e-NV200 drivers behind them, are: Sarah Venning, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Water; Des Nevin, Customer & Operations Director at NI Water; Michael Walker, Local Fleet Specialist at Charles Hurst Nissan; and Nichola Mallon, Infrastructure Minister at the Northern Ireland Assembly.