Mitsubishi Electric is using a new DAF-LF hybrid delivery truck to carry its Ecodan® renewable heating systems to installers around the country and has created a bespoke livery for the vehicle to highlight both its green credentials and the low carbon heating products it is delivering.
Ecodan has led the growing market in residential air source heat pumps for the past four years because of its performance, ease of installation and use, reliability, and the comprehensive technical support offered by the company. It is also the only air source heat pump to be endorsed by the Noise Abatement Society with its prestigious Quiet Mark.
“We entered the domestic heating market because we knew that we could use our extensive knowledge of heat pumps to bring renewable, low carbon heating to UK homes,” explains Graham Temple, Marketing Manager for the company’s heating systems division. “This new delivery truck is in line with our policy of reducing the impact of our own operations, whilst helping lower the carbon emissions of the UK, house by house.”
The 12-tonne vehicle will be run by Norbert Dentressangle and will deliver heat pumps across the entire country using what DAF describe as a parallel diesel / electric hybrid system to offer the ability to drive by electric engine or diesel, or a combination of both. By using both diesel and electric power, the truck will deliver reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of between 10 – 20% compared with a standard diesel engine.
Thousands of Ecodan units are now being installed each year and Mitsubishi Electric has been looking at ways of ensuring effective deliveries in the most sustainable way.
The DAF Hybrid offers a payload of 7.5 tons whilst its 4.5 litre PACCAR FR diesel engine complies with Europe’s ultra-low EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) emissions requirements. Energy released during braking is also stored in special lithium-ion batteries for re-use during acceleration.
“We already manufacture Ecodan to stringent ISO standards and have a comprehensive recycling programme for products reaching the end of their useful working life,” adds Temple. “Now, with this new green delivery vehicle, we are ensuring that another part of our operations is as low carbon as possible.”
