UK’s Prime Minister Switching To A Nissan LEAF? UK Government Agencies Adding 140 ULEVs To Fleets

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The UK’s Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Foreign Office, and Commonwealth Office are set to add at least 140 ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) to their fleets as part of a broader £5 million cross-departmental push to move away from “gas guzzlers,” according to recent reports.

As the headline implies, the Government Car Service — which is the provider of vehicles for ministers in the UK — will reportedly be adding 4 ULEVs. It’s not yet clear what models these will be.

With regard to the total “140 vehicles” figure above — there will be Nissan LEAFs, Toyota Priuses, Kia Soul electric vehicles (EVs), Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and Volvo V60 hybrids, amongst other models, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Transport.

This mass addition of ULEVs is intended as the beginning of an initiative to demonstrate the substantial benefits of such vehicles to the general public — setting an example, essentially. The aim of this demonstration also being to inspire public sector fleets and businesses to embrace the technology over the coming years.

The Transport Minister, Baroness Kramer, noted that the adoption of ULEVs was “the right thing to do” — with regard to representing tax payers, being a steward of the environment, and supporting the UK auto industry.

“This is an important step. These cars will save taxpayers money on running costs and will bring low emissions benefits to our fleet. Today’s announcement proves that Britain is leading the electric charge while supporting the growth of this important industry.”

The broader push for ULEVs will also see the installation of numerous electric vehicle charge-points all throughout the country.

Image Credit: Zachary Shahan | EV Obsession | CleanTechnica (CC BY-SA)