Kettering hospital shows its green credentials with first electric vehicle

Kettering General Hospital has taken delivery of its first electric vehicle as it moves towards a target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

The Renault Kangoo – delivered on Monday (March 2) - will be used by the hospital’s estates department to carry out maintenance work and deliveries to the trust’s outlying sites

such as the Medical Records Department in Robinson Way and Nene Park Outpatients Centre in Irthlingborough.

It will cost £4,200 a year to lease and can be charged in an electrical point that has been established at the hospital site.

Chief engineer Edward Payne said: “This is one of our first steps on a journey to become carbon neutral by 2050.

“Over time this will be the first of many electric vehicles used by our estates and portering teams for deliveries and pick-ups at our off site locations.

“They are quiet, have zero emissions, are very low maintenance, and can travel for up to 160 miles on an eight hour charge that costs us £5.30.

“Previously we used private companies to carry out our offsite maintenance work but having the electric vehicle will allow us to do that work ourselves – which will offset the cost of

leasing the vehicle itself.”

Director of facilities and estates, Ian Allen, said: “We are looking very closely at how we can move to a more sustainable future.

“In January we announced that we had taken the NHS Plastics Pledge to reduce plastic waste such as single-use cups, cutlery and food pots.

“Going electric with our vehicles will be another step forward.

"We are currently undertaking an electrical infrastructure review of the site and will be looking for places where we can establish charging points for vehicles in the future.”