According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of plug-in vehicles registered in the UK now exceeds 30,128, with Lex Autolease saying is responsible for around 7% of electric vehicles on UK roads – believed to be the largest fleet of its kind in the country.

The latest order was for a Nissan e-NV200 Electric Acenta Rapid Plus commercial vehicle, which has been delivered to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust after the Trust found that moving to electric vehicles could result in efficiency savings, as well as reduction in carbon and tailpipe emissions.

Michael Taylor, Trustwide Hotel Services Officer at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Trust wanted a cost-effective transport method to replace their fleet of ageing diesel vans and reduce carbon emissions. We undertook a significant amount of research into how we used vehicles across our facilities, and a move to electric vehicles proved the ideal solution.

“The vehicles will be primarily used to transport goods between the four main sites of the Trust and community locations, and we have already noticed considerable efficiency savings.”

Chris Chandler, principal consultant at Lex Autolease, said: “At Lex Autolease, we strive to introduce environmentally and financially friendly technologies, so the delivery of our 2000th plug-in electric vehicle is a considerable milestone for us. We anticipate significant growth in alternative fuel vehicle registrations as more businesses and organisations become more informed of the benefits.”