Bristol City Council starts new chapter with CNG-powered IVECO Daily library van

Tuesday 11th June 2024

Bristol City Council has introduced a new library van to its fleet to distribute books between its 27 libraries across the city, providing an important service to constituents. Based on a 7-tonne IVECO Daily CNG van with twin rear wheels (70C14G V/P), this vehicle runs on 100% renewable Bio-CNG (compressed natural gas), enabling a significant reduction of harmful emissions.

The City of Bristol is on a mission to improve air quality, with cleaner vehicles playing a big part in reducing overall emissions. Clean Air Zones have been introduced that see polluting vehicles that do not meet standards paying a daily fee to enter – up to £100 each day for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. The South West Truck & Van supplied IVECO Daily CNG library van can run unimpeded in these zones thanks to its incredibly low emissions. When run on natural gas such as bio-methane, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 95%, greatly improving air quality versus an equivalent diesel model. This vehicle serves as a positive example of how operators can meet increasing clean air requirements without sacrificing mission capability.

Utilising the IVECO Daily’s strong truck-based chassis, large crates containing thousands of books can be loaded, reducing the number of journeys required. Loading and unloading is made easier thanks to IVECO AIR-PRO intelligent pneumatic suspension that can adjust the load height. This height can then be stored by the vehicle for even more convenience on return trips. AIR-PRO also contributes to greater refinement, reducing vibrations by up to 25% and lowering roll angles through bends by up to 30%.

Bristol City Council is familiar with the Daily’s impressive payload capacity, but the decision to move to CNG power benefits the local environment while also presenting potential fuel cost savings over the estimated 7,000 miles a year that this vehicle will cover. 

Reducing driver fatigue and boosting comfort was also important for Bristol City Council’s library van, with the Daily CNG featuring an easy-to-operate manual transmission offering the most precise shift in its class. This highly durable gearbox can cover 350,000km between oil changes. Hi-Comfort seats with memory foam seat cushion, back and head rest offer best-in-class comfort, reducing pressure peaks by 30%. The IVECO Daily also features City Mode which dramatically reduces steering effort at low speeds, an asset that’s incredibly useful when manoeuvring the vehicle.

Mike Cutts Business Line Director Full Range UK & ROI said “CNG vehicles are a great solution to dramatically reduce emissions, and a viable alternative available today. Bristol City Council’s new library van takes advantage of the Daily’s innate strength and this CNG’s decarbonisation benefits.”