11.11.2010

Green machine

UK based PJ Hire Services of Chelmsford, Essex, has taken delivery of the first new Euro 5 van to be mounted with a hybrid Versalift mobile work platform.

The 5.2 tonne Iveco EcoDaily combines its Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle (EEV) emissions status with a semi-electric access platform which can operate without the vehicle’s engine running.

It has been purpose-built for the street-lighting sector and will be used exclusively by PJ’s largest customer, May Gurney/Cartledge, a division of infrastructure support services group May Gurney.

Richard Buttling, fleet manager at PJ Hire Services, said: “We’re continually looking for ways to make our fleet even greener and have worked closely with Versalift to develop this new technology. By combining the environmental benefits of the EcoDaily with a hybrid lifting platform we are setting new standards for the market and delivering a significant carbon saving for our customer.”
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(L-R) Richard Buttling of PJ Hire and Graham Cartledge of May Gurney/Cartledge with Heath Thompson of Versalift at the hand over.

“There is also the added value of reduced noise. Cartledge is routinely required by councils to operate at night, and the ability to service a street light in a residential area without the engine constantly driving a PTO is a huge benefit.”
Versalift’s semi-electric platform allows the operator to switch off the vehicle’s engine once on-site, while a battery powers the boom functions, should the battery ever run down whilst working the operator can simply start the engine remotely from the platform and carry on.

The battery is sufficiently powerful to undertake 60-80 lifts a day, with vans 3.0 litre engine recharging it while travelling between jobs.

Heath Thompson, regional sales manager for Versalift Distributors added: “We are delighted with the results and truly believe that this will be a great product for us. Both Richard Buttling and Graham Cartledge have been instrumental in helping us to design not only a more environmentally friendly product but also one that is very practical in the field. Councils are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and as a consequence so too are street lighting contractors. We are continuing to work together to develop better, more environmentally friendly products, to help councils and contractors do just that!”