EDF Energy has recently taken delivery of nearly 250 Peugeot vans (a mixture of 207, Partner and Expert models). The energy company is one of the UK’s largest and operates a 3,500 vehicle fleet.

EDF is targeting a 20% cut in its CO2 emissions by 2012, and the Peugeot vans are the latest step towards this. Not only do they feature the French company’s latest HDi diesel engines but these vans have not been shuttled around the country having extras fitted before delivery – as might have been the case in the past.

Peugeot have been able to offer EDF a one-stop shop – making all pre-delivery modifications at its regional distribution centre before delivering the vans directly to their end users – EDF. This saves considerably on transport costs and carbon emissions – helping EDF towards its target of lower emissions.

This kind of thing does seem to be a growing trend at present – more and more manufacturers are offering buyers the option of having their chassis vans pre-converted before delivery – where before a specialst body builder would have been used to build or modify the body after the vehicle left the factory.