Sysco redesigns electric vehicle fleet

Sysco has launched the latest design of its electric vehicle in the UK, with the vans showing the ‘Climate Stripes’ graphic which have been made to highlight the issue of rising global temperatures.

The new DAF vehicles have a range of around 280 km and two temperature zones – frozen and chilled – powered directly from the battery, allowing frozen, fresh and ambient products to be delivered on a single vehicle. This is the next step towards Sysco’s ambition to stop buying new diesel vehicles in Great Britain by 2030.

The company has called greater cross-industry collaboration as part of the launch and aims for this design to be the catalyst for widespread, fully electric, multi-temperature deliveries.

Read more: Sysco wholesalers join Brakes food charity initiative

Speaking at the launch of the Climate Stripes vehicle at its Brakes depot in Reading, Peter Jackson, chief executive of Sysco in Great Britain, said: “Food and transport are two of the most carbon-intensive sectors. We have a huge responsibility to tackle climate change through our operations and inspire our customers to do the same.

“We are on a journey to create a future where a delivery of sustainable produce arrives on an electric vehicle, charged with solar panels at the zero-carbon depot. This is an important step. But we cannot do this alone and we need to work in partnership with customers, manufacturers, government and the rest of the foodservice industry.  We can only achieve real change if we work together.

“Our position in the food system creates an opportunity to inspire our customers to transform their menus and the food that they buy – by far the biggest portion of our own carbon emissions. We hope that the climate stripes on this vehicle will raise awareness of the challenge.”

Globally, Sysco has already announced its intention to electrify 35% of its North American fleet by 2030 as it seeks to reduce its direct carbon emissions by 27.5% by 2030.

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Paul Hill is the Editor of Better Wholesaling. He can be found on Twitter at @BW_PaulHill, or contacted via paul.hill@newtrade.co.uk and 07960935659.

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