SSE’s new Ford Transit Custom vans will be used for its smart meter rollout programme.

Utility giant SSE has placed an order for 507 Ford Transit Custom vans as for its smart meter installation teams to use.

The new vans take Ford’s share of SSE’s 6,000-strong fleet up to 30%. Each van is specified with Ford’s 2.0-litre 130PS EcoBlue TDCi engine, with Auto-Stop-Start technology.

Inside, the vans are fitted with internal storage and racking systems at Qi Van Systems of Telford, Shropshire, and liveried at Mediafleet of Witney, Oxfordshire.

Delivery of the 507 Transit Customs will be completed by November and the vans will be in service across the UK.

“We chose the Ford Transit Custom for this role for a number of reasons,” said Gemma Trew, SSE van and truck fleet manager. “It was not simply a question of economics – although the Transit does offer excellent whole-life costs – driver comfort and load area convenience were significant factors too. The Transit’s load space shape is ideal for the job.”

The Transit Custom was the top-selling van in the UK last year, a record it’s maintained so far this year, in which the model has accounted for nearly 14% of all vans registered in the UK.