SMMT are doing their utmost to keep a brave face on things following the latest bad news from the electric commercial vehicle sector.
They have, to a fault, plugged the government’s incentive to fill our roads with electric transport and been at the forefront of marketing the battery operated vehicle. However, of the seven vans on the original ‘plug in grant list‘ that availed vehicles for the twenty percent up to a maximum of £8,000 discount one of the manufacturers has already gone to the wall.
Azure Dynamics were the company behind the Ford Transit battery-powered larger commercial vehicle, the Connect Electric. As an observer, you can only feel sorry for the company who, in all good faith, set up their business and took on the challenge of facing the new electric van market only to find its allies weren’t as supportive or the market wasn’t as ready as was initially made out.
Rather than dwell on the past, SMMT, in a brief release, were disappointed that one of the key players in their strategy had gone, but remain optimistic that the future still holds much promise for electric vans. With more vans becoming available to replace the Ford Transit Connect it is hoped that the cost savings on fuel and cheap van insurance will have punters fulfilling ambitions and UK’s roads brighter and greener for it.