Fortnum & Mason welcomes electric Renault Kangoos for city deliveries

Fortnum & Mason has taken delivery of two all-electric Renault Kangoo Z.E. 33 refrigerated vans for deliveries in London, which are expected to be especially busy during the Christmas period.

Working out of its Piccadilly store and newly-opened Royal Exchange outpost in the heart of the City, the electric, specially converted light commercial vehicles replace Fortnum & Mason’s previous Kangoo Z.E., which the store has used since 2015. The additional vans will enable Fortnum & Mason to service the increasing number of customers opting for convenient delivery of in-store purchases. Fortnum & Mason chose to specify its new Renault Kangoo Z.E. 33 vans with refrigerator conversions in order to ensure that customers’ fresh food purchases arrive in pristine condition.

By using the Renault Kangoo Z.E. 33 for the basis of its refrigerator vehicles, Fortnum & Mason is not only eliminating CO2 emissions from the exhaust, but also those that would be created from using an on-board diesel generator to power the chiller.

Operating in the highly-populated and often heavily-congested capital, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. 33 is the ideal vehicle for Fortnum & Mason’s multi-drop deliveries. No gear changes and instant response make light work of the constant stop/starting for deliveries and driving in traffic, while its near silent running means it also reduces noise pollution yet with the aid of Z.E Voice, which activates an audible warning up to 18 mph, keeps pedestrians safe.

David Woodroof, Logistics Manager, Fortnum & Mason, said: “We are immensely proud of our heritage, but Fortnum’s has survived for 311 years by constantly innovating – and so we are always looking for new ways to progress, particularly when it comes to our sustainability strategies. The Renault Kangoo Z.E. will play a part in our drive towards more environmentally friendly operations. Since 2015 it has proved a valuable, reliable, and highly efficient asset and its electric drivetrain is perfect for the role. While the actual mileage our vans cover is low, the driving conditions are demanding, but the Kangoo Z.E. overcomes a lot of the issues you would have with a conventionally-engined van, while also being significantly cheaper to run and maintain.”