IVECO sparks up new Daily order with UK Power Networks

Wednesday 28th February 2018

UK Power Networks, the country’s biggest electricity distributor, has taken delivery of eight 3.5-tonne IVECO Daily panel vans. The vehicles were chosen after a demonstrator proved it could carry an extra 100 kg in a payload test versus competitor models when fully kitted out with the firm’s chosen racking.

Supplied by Dunstable-based dealer Northern Commercials, the vehicles will support crews conducting repairs to power cables across Greater London, Kent, Norfolk and West Sussex. The vans are new additions to UK Power Network’s 3,000-strong fleet, of which 10 per cent are IVECOs.

Cliff Allender, Transport Operations Manager at UK Power Networks, says: “Our crews carry out emergency repairs across the biggest power network in the UK, so the payload of the vehicles is vital. They need to carry all the tools and equipment necessary to deal with a whole range of issues – and the load-carrying capability of the IVECO means they can do just that.

“The speed in providing us with a Daily to carry out the payload test was excellent and so were the results. We are already looking at the possibility of adding more IVECOs to the fleet when we replace older models.”

The vans have been fitted with racking systems by Tevo and will be used intensively, with crews on the road 365 days a year. Fleet uptime is maximised with IVECO’s extended service intervals of 50,000 km, and thanks to new, tougher brake pads which are more efficient and durable than ever.

Each Daily (35S16) has a cargo volume of 10.8m³ and is powered by a 2.3-litre diesel engine producing up to 156 hp and 350 Nm of torque, providing the perfect balance of performance, excellent fuel economy and lower running costs.

They have been specified with an air-suspended driver’s seat for maximum comfort and a reversing camera to aid manoeuvrability. The load area also features a SwingLift crane, for safely lifting heavy goods into and out of the van.

The vehicles are expected to play a frontline role for the next six years and are spread across UK Power Networks’ depots in Ashford, Bury St Edmunds, Childerditch and Colchester.

IVECO’s complete Daily range offers the widest light commercial vehicle line-up in the industry, with gross vehicle weights from 3.5-tonnes to 7.2-tonnes, and cargo volumes from 7.3m³ to 19.6m³ on panel vans.

UK Power Networks owns and maintains electricity cables across London, the South East and East of England, covering 29,000 sq km and serving 18 million people.