Businesses in Kent and Medway can take advantage of free two-month trials of electric Renault vans to assess the benefits of going zero-emission.

The Highways England-funded scheme allows Kent and Medway businesses to enjoy a free two-month trial of one of the Renault vans

The new ‘try-before-you-buy’ scheme is being run by Kent County Council in partnership with Highways England to give fleets an insight into making the transition from a conventional ICE-powered commercial vehicle to an all-electric version.

Kent County Council has already taken delivery of 20 electric Renault Kangoo E-Tech and four Renault Zoe Vans for the new Kent Realising Electric Vans Scheme (REVS) – the vehicles were chosen for their range and usability and feature a bespoke Kent REVS livery that highlights their 100% electric power.

Further vans will join the scheme; the plan is to have a total fleet of 48 EVs available for trial.

Kent REVS is being operated by Commercial Services Kent and is based on the rationale that more businesses will be more likely to convert their fleets to electric if they have an opportunity to try the vehicles for an extended period, before committing to a purchase or long-term lease.

Tony Hills, cabinet member for environment at Kent County Council, said: “Making the transition to electric vehicles can seem a big step for businesses and Kent REVS provides a risk-free way for them to experience the many benefits over a significant period.”

The two-year initiative is being backed by £1.5m funding from Highways England, part of which has been used by Commercial Services Kent to install new charge points at its operating bases in New Hythe and Kings Hill, with a further 10 rapid chargers planned for other publicly accessible locations across the county.

The launch of Kent REVS follows the successful implementation of a similar scheme by Leeds City Council in 2020, which was also funded by Highways England and features 20 Renault Kangoo E-Tech vans.