The Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) is partnering with Renault Trucks and contract hire company, Vertellus to offer members – both wholesalers and suppliers – the opportunity to rent a fully electric 18-tonne HGV for 12 months, at the near equivalent cost of renting a diesel HGV.
As an added incentive, Vertellus is also supplying the required charger, but members can claim back £3,000 – that’s £1,000 each month for the first three months.
Five vehicles have been made available to the SWA by Renault Trucks as part of Vertellus’ EV Discovery Programme, and interested members must have ordered their vehicle and take delivery by late November, or potentially early December.
Carlos Rodrigues, managing director, Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted to partner with the SWA to support its members in decarbonising their fleets by offering Renault Trucks through the Vertellus EV Discovery Programme, which provides an affordable, low-risk opportunity to trial electric trucks in real-world operations.
Ylva Haglund, SWA head of sustainability, said: “The offer is for a 12-month trial rental period, with a breakout period after three months, the hope of which is to build confidence within the wholesale channel and help transition members to net-zero fleets as part of their ongoing vehicle replacement strategy.”
The SWA has formed a close working partnership with both Renault Trucks and Volvo, together with other senior leaders from Scotland’s HGV industry, as it strives to build sectoral confidence in net-zero HGV technology.