Logistics and distribution group Gregory is breaking new ground in partnership with brewery Brewdog and operating the first all-electric 19-tonne rigid refrigerated vehicle in the UK.
Electric vehicles form part of Gregory’s five-year sustainability strategy, which has already seen the introduction of electric pool cars and a number of gas-powered vehicles to reduce its environmental impact, with 15% of its new orders now for alternative fuel vehicles.
ARR Craib Transport, a Gregory Group company based in Aberdeen, provides transport services from Brewdog’s production sites. The electric vehicle is being used to distribute beer to Brewdog’s central London bars.
The new zero tail-pipe emission vehicle is a purpose-built Electra e-Cargo Urban Refrigeration Vehicle. It is based on an Iveco Euro Cargo chassis and is supplied by NRG Fleet Services. In addition to the vehicle’s environmental credentials, it will also be quieter than a conventional vehicle.
“We recognise that our day-to-day operations impact both directly and indirectly on the environment,” said Paul Jefferson, Gregory’s Group Legal, Risk and Sustainability Director. “The company is committed to significantly reducing its impact on the planet and we are proud to partner with Brewdog on this important initiative with the first all-electric refrigerated vehicle of this size in the UK.”
“We are excited to continue to expand our fleet of both electric and alternative fuelled transportation,” added Ross Watson, Brewdog’s Head of Supply Chain. “Brewdog is proud of its sustainability journey to ‘Make Earth Great Again’ and is already a carbon negative company.“
ARR Craib has two CNG HGV tractor units on order which will be powered by bio-methane from an anaerobic digester being installed at Brewdog’s headquarters and production site in Aberdeenshire. Gregory already operates twenty gas powered HGV tractor units (Volvo FH460) which are running on LNG with further vehicles on order.
Earlier this year Gregory installed its own LNG refuelling station at its Cullompton depot in Devon and has also recently joined with more than 1,000 companies worldwide in signing a letter of commitment to pursue reductions in greenhouse gases in line with science-based targets set by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
