Selco Builders Warehouse has added the first electric commercial dropside van to its fleet as part of its commitment to more sustainable transport solutions.

The new Fiat e-Ducato electric dropside vehicle joins the Selco fleet at its Birmingham delivery hub for a trial period

The builders merchant has been adding cleaner fuel options to its fleet over the last 12 months and the new electric dropside vehicle, supplied by Guest Truck & Van, joins the fleet operating from its Birmingham delivery hub for a trial period.

The Fiat e-Ducato dropside has a payload in excess of 1,300kg and a range of up to 145 miles.

Richard Evans, head of transport operations at Selco, said: “This is an extremely important development in our ongoing transition towards operating a fully sustainable commercial fleet.

“Dropside vans make up a large percentage of our fleet so this trial will be crucial to seeking vital information on the suitability of commercial electric vehicles and help determine our route to zero emissions.

“We have been clear about our commitments around sustainability, and we are now making swift and sizeable progress in terms of reducing our carbon footprint within the transport fleet.”

Recent work by Selco to reduce the carbon footprint within its transport fleet has seen a dozen electrically powered counterbalance forklift trucks added to its 73-strong branch network while there are seven CNG vehicles currently in operation, with three to add later this year.

It’s also adopting cleaner fuels, with all vehicles at its two delivery hubs in Birmingham and Edmonton now operating on either CNG or HVO fuel.

Selco has also directly supported the planting of more than 260,000 trees across two sites in Scotland and Wales as part of its carbon-offsetting programme, with plans for a third ‘Selco Forest’ to be planted in early 2023.