That's right - the nation's favourite mobile coffee company has become the first anywhere in the world to introduce an all-electric, totally emissions-free coffee van to its fleet of vehicles! Our new van launched earlier this week and can already be found serving customers.
Historically, our vans have been petrol powered with diesel generators powering the equipment. However, in 2019, we switched all the generators to emission-free lithium-ion batteries and are now in a position to begin moving away from petrol in favour of electric too.
On the road to being the first carbon neutral coffee company
Our goal is to become the UK's first carbon neutral coffee company and to have an entire fleet of electric vans in the next few years - well ahead of the Government's ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, which doesn't come into effect until 2030. By changing the fleet to electric power, we estimate we'll save a whopping 12,672g of CO2 per year.
And that's not all. As well as boasting zero emissions, our new vehicle also features fewer moving parts and more effective brakes, meaning fewer replacement parts need manufacturing which reduces our greenhouse gas emissions further still.
To coincide with the unveiling of our first electric van, we've also launched a compostable paper cup to minimise our paper usage and our head office is currently in the process of digitising all its files ahead of a 2022 deadline to be completely paper-free. We've also switched from print to digital advertising and launched a new app to replace the old loyalty card system.
Our other existing sustainable practices
But doing everything possible to become more environmentally-friendly is nothing new for us - we've introduced several other sustainability initiatives in recent years, including the launch of a waste coffee grounds recycling scheme and replacing our plastic straws with paper alternatives.
Our Chief Executive, Martyn Ward, said: "Reducing our carbon footprint is absolutely vital to us and our customers so we're always on the lookout for new ways to become even more sustainable. We are delighted to be leading the way in the mobile coffee market with our new zero emissions coffee vans which are a world first.
"As well as being better for the environment, electric vehicles will enable our franchisees to access indoor events and emission-free zones, amplifying our pro-sustainability message even further. To be the world’s first is testament to the progressive nature of our brand and the hard work both our head office and franchisees put in each and every day."