White van man to go green

A British engineering company is preparing to unveil the most advanced electric delivery vehicle to date. Capable of 50mph, it outpaces an older, more cumbersome generation of electric vans - often blamed for holding up traffic.

The Tanfield Group from Stanley, Co Durham, is already gearing up for mass production of its Faraday 1 vehicle, pictured below.

It says the high price, £20,000-£29,000 will quickly be recouped by owners because the vehicles cost less than 1p a mile to run, making them as economical as a petrol or diesel van within 18-24 months and 25 per cent cheaper over five years.

Tanfield's business development director, Darren Kell, believes the vehicles will appeal to major delivery companies such as Tesco. "There is a psychological barrier to break down, because people perceive electric vehicles to run like old milk floats. But this is completely new technology," he said.

The Faraday 1 has enough battery power to cover 60 miles between charges. It is aimed at the kerbside recycling sector and food delivery. This will be followed by another version with a reduced payload that will offer a top speed of 50mph, aimed at the generic van user.

Tanfield also offers a bespoke service producing vehicles with higher speeds or greater mileage.