Sapphire Vehicle Services celebrates its newly gained status as the UK’s first Certified Service Partner for the leading and disruptive electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and service provider, Volta Trucks, at next week’s (10-11 May) ITT Hub event in Farnborough.
Independent commercial repair specialist Sapphire will display a 16-tonne Volta Zero truck on its stand, and explain to operators that it is perfectly placed to support them on the journey towards a future of electrified road transport.
Representatives from Volta Trucks will also be on hand to tell visitors about the Volta Trucks Driving Experience Programme, through which fleets can trial a Volta Zero in their own operations, and about the all-electric 16-tonne Volta Zero. With a pure electric range of 95-125 miles, the Volta Zero was designed from the ground up for safe and sustainable urban distribution. Thanks to the removal of the internal combustion engine, the driver of a Volta Zero sits in a central position, with a much lower seat height than a conventional truck. This, combined with a glasshouse-style cab design, gives a wide 220 degrees of visibility, minimising dangerous blind spots.
Sapphire Managing Director Perry Reeves said: “The key message from both sides is that operating an electric truck is nothing to be scared of. If the correct after-sales plan is in place EVs could be highly effective and efficient in many fleets. Backed by our national network of workshops, a Volta Zero will slot seamlessly into a wide range of applications.
“As any professional operator knows, when you buy a truck you’re investing your hard-earned money and your trust not only in the new vehicle but in the back-up systems that are vital to keep it running. For many, choosing an electric truck will be a leap of faith on both counts – but anyone who opts for Sapphire support can be sure, we’ve got your back.
“Our 16 depots are all open 24 hours, every day of the year, and are fully equipped with specialised tooling and EV charging infrastructure. Our technicians have also undergone dedicated electric vehicle training. We’re already set up to help keep the fleets of tomorrow on the road.”
Sapphire’s appointment as Volta Trucks’ first Certified Service Partner, announced in April, was a recognition of the firm’s expertise in the electric commercial vehicle field and its history of delivering consistently excellent support to leading fleet operators. Approximately 28,000 trucks and vans nationwide are looked after by technicians across the company’s network of sites.
As Volta Trucks’ first UK Certified Service Partner, Sapphire’s workshops will complement the manufacturer’s own Truck as a Service Hub in Tottenham, north London, to provide comprehensive service and maintenance cover all over Britain.
The 16 IRTE-accredited depots, all of which boast mobile roadside assistance vans as well as round-the-clock multi-bay workshops, will provide the optimum service to maximise vehicle uptime for Volta Trucks operators. Staff, already qualified in the maintenance of electric vehicles, have had their skills boosted by brand-specific training at the Volta Trucks Academy in London.
Sapphire will play a major role in supporting the ‘Truck as a Service’ (TaaS) offering from Volta Trucks, which has been designed as a frictionless way to migrate fleets of all sizes to electric. The TaaS proposition revolutionises the ownership, servicing, financing and management of commercial vehicles while maximising their operational efficiency.
