Tanfield lands biggest van deal

Sep 24 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

ELECTRIC vehicles maker Tanfield has landed the biggest overseas deal in its history with a £2m contract to ship 50 vans to the Netherlands.

The Washington firm will supply a large fleet of its Smith Ampere vans - the electric version of the Ford Transit Connect - to Dutch energy group Eneco.

The deal for Tanfield’s subsidiary Smith Electric Vehicles is the latest in a long line of international contracts for the firm which is helping to raise the profile of the North East as a global hub for low carbon transport.

Tanfield has rapidly grown into the world’s largest commercial electric vehicles maker and, as the Government aims to build the North East into the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area for ultra-low carbon vehicles, continues to grow its global presence.

Its vans are now in use across the US by large firms such as Coca-Cola as well as parts of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

And, as the firm plays a lead role in the Government’s designation of the region as a global hub for low-carbon vehicles, it has also agreed a deal to ship 15 vehicles to Hong Kong.

Last night the company said it would continue to seek overseas opportunities as the appetite among the world’s government’s for low-carbon transport grows.

A spokesperson said: “We are about to execute a plan to increase exports for Smith Electric Vehicles through distributors in all those countries that are keen to embrace electric vehicles.”

The deal with Eneco was revealed at this week’s Ecomobiel exhibition and conference in Rotterdam and will be delivered by next year.

The order was signed via Tanfield’s Dutch distributor All Green Vehicles which will sell the vans to hire firm Roteb Lease who will lease them to Eneco.

The deal follows Eneco’s vows to replace 25% of its total commercial vehicle fleet with electrically powered vehicles. It aims to replace 500 of its diesel fuelled commercial vans with electric versions within the next four years.

Eneco representative Randy D’Hollosy said: ”Eneco wants to set an example.

“The initiative for this order is completely in line with our sustainable strategy.”