A new electric van bought by Daventry District Council (DDC) for environmental officers could result in carbon savings of 1.8 tonnes a year.
The £13,588 Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE will replace a petrol-driven van following a successful trial held in February last year.
The van, which has a range of 100 miles, will be used for pest control, environmental crime and dog warden services.
The old petrol van was driven about 10,000 miles per year and, based on that figure, it is estimated that the new electric vehicle will allow the council make a respectable carbon saving.
Cllr Daniel Cribbin, environment portfolio holder at DDC, said: “This council is always looking for ways to further reduce our carbon footprint so we saw this as a great opportunity. We also hope it inspires others, particularly local businesses, to look into the possibility of using electric vehicles.
“If it proves a success we will look to replace more of the council’s vehicles with electric models. We’re also exploring the possibility of having an electric pool car for staff and increasing the number of electric vehicle charge points in the district.”
DDC received an £8,000 ‘Plug-in-Vehicle’ grant from central government to help pay for the electric van as part of an initiative to encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.
The van will use Daventry district’s first free public charging point for electric vehicles, which was placed in the Lodge Road car park at the council offices in May 2013.
Sponsored by Woodford Halse firm Great Central Plastics, it allows electric cars to recharge their vehicle for free for up to four hours in a designated parking bay.