Van drivers and fleet vehicle managers in the UK will be looking on with interest over the next few months at an experiment being carried out in Germany, as another vehicle designed with environmental enhancements is launched on the German public.
Deutsche Post in conjunction with Mercedes Motor Company is to carry out trials delivering the post to German householders using the Mercedes Benz Vito E-cell van. The van is supposedly at the very cutting edge of the new green technology and the rigours of delivering the mail in a German city is seen as a valuable test of its capabilities.
Delivering mail will involve considerable mileage but the ground covered will be interspersed with many stop start intervals caused by traffic congestion, traffic lights and of course plenty of stops to actually deliver the post. It is expected that these conditions will give the Vito E-cell van plenty of chance to show its prowess.
The technologists will monitor the battery performance and charging behaviour throughout the length of the test which could last up to 4 years.
Joachim Wessels, a spokesman for Deutsche Post, said “With its battery-electric drive, the Vito E-Cell offers the possibility to reduce CO2 emissions, pollutants and noise significantly in the future.”
It is more than likely that before too long van drivers in the UK will be seeking commercial vehicle insurance for a Mercedes Benz Vito E-cell van.
Tags: technology, Van Insurance