Commercial vehicle dealership Thomas Hardie Commercials is deploying a 22-strong fleet of Volvo XC40 Recharge T5 Plug-in Hybrid cars for its management and sales team.

Volvo XC40 R-Design

The result of a year-long procurement process, the deal with Volvo has seen the plug-in hybrid XC40 chosen by some two-thirds of staff who are replacing their company car this year, with some choosing to upgrade at their own expense.

The move to the plug-in hybrid premium compact SUV will help Thomas Hardie Commercials significantly reduce its carbon footprint, while helping the company to meet the ISO 14001 Environmental Management standard.

Chris Schofield, procurement director, explained: “As a commercial vehicle dealership, it’s incredibly important for us to demonstrate our commitment to improving efficiency and reducing our environmental impact. Electrifying our company car fleet is a fundamental way of achieving this.

“After detailed research, Volvo came way ahead of any other car manufacturer on our user-chooser list in providing not just the eco standards we demanded, but also unrivalled safety features and significant Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) advantages for our drivers.”

Steve Beattie, head of fleet and remarketing, Volvo Car UK, commented: “Like Thomas Hardie Commercials, safety and the environment are core values to us at Volvo. We are delighted that our plug-in hybrid technology will play a part in Thomas Hardie reaching its corporate objectives. Staff will also make significant cost savings, while enjoying driving a highly specified, award-winning car.”