Smith & Byford, a family-owned building services company with over 400 employees has added new fleet of Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid vans in a commitment to reduce CO2 emissions and improve energy management.
The vans delivered by Herd Group, are long-term rentals that will be used by Smith & Byford engineers to deliver services across their extensive portfolio of Local Authorities and Housing Associations in London.
Hybrid vans can be a good option for fleet operators seeking to reduce fuel costs and emissions, offering a balance between electric efficiency and the practicality of a traditional combustion engine. They are a sensible stepping stone for fleets that haven’t fully transitioned to electric vehicles or operate in areas with limited charging infrastructure.
Sandra Barrett, Smith & Byford Fleet Manager said, “We’ve used Herd for our long-term rental solution for many years – they are very good at maximising the efficiency of our fleet and ensuring a smooth transition for upgrades. We’ve opted for a range of hybrid vehicles that work from a range, payload, and capability perspective and which help us in our goals to reduce CO2 and improve energy management. We don’t have any EV’s on our fleet right now and taking on hybrid vehicles is a transition for Smith & Byford’s sustainability.”
Herd Group have adopted the hybrid van rental strategy as a pragmatic approach to meeting emissions targets whilst addressing the challenges of transitioning to full electrification. With the recent changes to the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the sale of hybrid vans allowed until 2035. It’s positive news to rental companies and fleet operators especially those who were struggling with the initial electric targets. The revised mandate offers businesses more time to adapt their fleets and for manufacturers to ramp up EV production and sales.
Herd Group is committed to helping the UK meet our net-zero targets and to support an easy transition to an electric fleet – the way that makes sense for your business.
