EV truck keeps Council on the road to net zero

A new 7.5-tonne fully electric tipper truck has joined Brentwood Borough Council’s fleet of vehicles in the latest step on the road to achieving net zero emissions by 2030. This state-of-the-art vehicle, equipped with a tail lift, reinforces the Council’s commitment to delivering services in a cleaner, greener way.

The new truck will help the depot team respond quickly to reports of fly-tipping and assist with the delivery of waste containers and other essential tasks. 

This addition to the vehicle fleet was made possible through collaboration between the Council and the vehicle manufacturer, securing a £16,000 Government ‘Plug-in Truck Grant’ to offset the purchase cost. It’s a great example of how partnership and innovation can help us invest in sustainable solutions.

Councillor David Worsfold, Chair of the Clean & Green Committee at Brentwood Borough Council, said: “This investment builds on our commitment to sustainability and helps us work towards our target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. There are the benefits of improved air quality with zero tailpipe emissions, lower running costs compared to diesel vehicles and by increasing our fleet of vehicles - we’re also improving the efficiency of our services.

“Since declaring the climate emergency for the borough in June 2023 and setting an ambitious target of reaching net zero by 2030 we have made fantastic progress. The latest data shows we are almost 80% of the way to hitting that target. This electric truck will take us even nearer our objective. Some people said it couldn’t be done: we aim to prove them wrong.”

Councillor Barry Aspinell, the Leader of Brentwood Borough Council, added: “We applied for the Government’s ‘plug-in truck grant’ over a year ago, so the wheels may have turned slowly on making this happen, but I look forward to seeing the positive impact this new vehicle will have on our services and the environment.”

To find out more about the Council’s environmental initiatives visit www.brentwood.gov.uk/climate-emergency