AN Alton-based express delivery company is leading the world in the implementation of a zero emissions policy.
TNT, on the Mill Lane trading estate, has taken delivery of its first 7.5 tonne electric lorry, pictured - a vehicle which will help cut 1.3mkg of CO2 a year from the parent company's collective carbon footprint.
TNT UK Ltd has launched the world's largest fleet of zero emission vehicles - a green fleet that can outperform its diesel equivalents but with no pollution.
The new 100-strong fleet of unique battery-powered Newton-style delivery trucks will replace diesel equivalents over the next 18 months. The amount of CO2 saved by the 7.5 tonne lorries will be enough to fill Wembley Stadium.
Manufactured by Smith Electrical Vehicles of Tyne and Wear, the trucks are the first pure electric vehicles in their class that can compete in performance terms with diesel equivalents and, at the same time, deliver a 100 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and exhaust pollutants at the point of use.
The first 50 trucks have already been rolled out across the country and Alton's vehicle can be seen working in the town.
Giving a comfortable and noise-free ride, the truck costs 7p per mile in electricity to run, representing a significant saving in fuel costs. Furthermore, as the most powerful electric truck ever it has a top speed of 50mph and a 70-mile range from one battery charge.
It is designed to replace diesel trucks that operate exclusively in urban areas, thereby helping to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
TNT chief executive Peter Bakker said: "We are living in times of great change and the launch of the fleet represents a critical component in what we are striving for - to make TNT the first zero emissions express and mail company.
"Global warming is the biggest issue the world is now facing. As a transportation company TNT contributes to this problem, which is why we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. State-of-the-art electric vehicles are a great alternative to those that use fossil fuels, especially in urban areas."
In 2007, TNT topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, achieving a rating of 91 out of 100 - the highest recorded score of any company on the index. The feat was all the more remarkable given the nature of TNT's business. The introduction of the 'green fleet' followed the launch in August of TNT's global environmental programme - Planet Me which seeks to engage the company's 161,000 employees worldwide, their families, friends, as well as contractors and suppliers, to decrease their carbon footprint at work and at home.
TNT in the UK already derives up to 22 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable sources and is keen to increase these levels in future. The partnership with Smith Electric Vehicles is a key stand in TNT's environmental strategy.
Alton general manager Dave Bonehill told The Herald: "I am delighted that TNT has taken the lead and introduced a fleet of zero emission electric vehicles across the UK, including here in Alton. The transport industry produces in excess of 15 per cent of the world's CO2 emissions which is why we, at TNT, are constantly striving to reduce our carbon footprint."
Tom Bell, managing director, TNT Express Services UK and Ireland, added: "On average it costs just £40 a week to power a zero emission vehicle as opposed to around £200 spent on diesel fuel.
"The electric vehicles are also exempt from London congestion charge (£1,750 a year) and do not incur road tax in the UK. It's a clear win-win situation and one we hope others will follow."