The British Prime Minister, Boris Jonson, was on hand to receive the 500th electric van ordered by utility company British Gas.

British Gas operates the largest commercial electric vehicle fleet in the UK having ordered 3,000 Vauxhall Vivaro-e vehicles over the last two years.

The utility company’s owner, Centrica, has vowed to make all its vehicles electric by the year 2025 - five years ahead of the governmental deadline for the banning of new petrol and diesel vehicles. This includes its 12,000 operational fleet and its 1500 company car fleet.

Chris O'Shea, Chief Executive, Centrica, commented:

"Everyone needs to act now to lower carbon emissions and help the UK reach net zero.  We are leading from the front by not only lowering emissions for our customers and our communities, but by lowering our own emissions, and by increasing the speed at which we do this.  Fully electrifying our fleet will make a big difference."

British Gas equips each of its engineers with the installation of an at-home EV charger, and focusing on the areas where pollution is highest to have the most immediate effect.

The company plans to have all the 3000 electric vans rolled out across its fleet by 2022.

To drive EV uptake among British Gas colleagues and customers, and to demonstrate what the latest EVs are capable of, two vans are undertaking the 874-mile journey from the tip of Scotland at John O’Groats to the furthest westerly point in England at Land’s End.