Sparsholt College Group has deployed an all-electric Goupil G4 utility vehicle to further support its sustainability efforts.

The fully electric G4 utility vehicle delivers an operational range of up to 101 miles

The vehicle, supplied by Bradshaw Electric Vehicles, is fitted with a cage body attachment and is being used by Sparsholt College’s premises team for general upkeep, lightweight repairs and refuse collection.

The fully electric G4 utility vehicle delivers an operational range of up to 101 miles, a payload up to 1,200kg and a maximum speed of 31mph.

Its eco credentials align with the college group’s commitment to reducing its carbon emissions. Sparsholt, which next year celebrates its 125th anniversary, has set a target to reach zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2030, while also further pledging to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 2040.

Work is being spearheaded by a sustainability group, which brings together Sparsholt’s faculty, senior team and support teams to share innovative ideas on how best to drive down the college group’s carbon footprint.

After evaluating the most carbon-intensive vehicles in its 80-vehicle fleet, the Sparsholt team decided that replacing its ageing Suzuki utility vehicle with an all-electric option would yield the most environmental savings.

The G4 fulfils this brief while also providing a compact, nimble and low-speed vehicle able to operate safely and efficiently across campuses.

Nathan Heslop, director of group finance at Sparsholt College Group, said: “We’ve already received an overwhelmingly positive reception from staff and students alike, which is great as ultimately a significant aspect of investing in the vehicle was also to showcase that we’re passionate about driving down our carbon footprint and that we’re unafraid to take meaningful action toward this goal.”

Sparsholt has opted for a three-year maintenance package which includes a comprehensive breakdown service to ensure vehicle uptime.

Heslop explained: “Given that Bradshaw Electric Vehicles is based in the UK, and the Goupil is a European-made model, it was an obvious choice to opt for the G4 as ensuring vehicle uptime was a crucial consideration in the decision-making process due to the inevitable frequent usage of the vehicle.

“As with its predecessor, our Goupil G4 will be a key tool in helping the premises team in upkeeping standards and will be used on a daily basis. Therefore, aligning ourselves with a reputable supplier which had the capabilities to respond quickly in the event of any issues occurring was imperative.”