Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland has been trialling EAV’s zero-emissions e-cargo vehicle to replace the on-campus van fleet. EAV, who are an Oxfordshire-based micro-mobility manufacturer, supplied the school with its EAV2Cubed to test on its 200-acre estate.
The electric vehicle is being used for the movement of maintenance equipment for grounds people and domestic supplies for cleaning staff. The 2Cubed is also used to collect and distribute packages delivered to the school’s front gate.
Gordonstoun school, which was founded in 1934, has an ethos of social responsibility and is working towards Green Flag status. This is an award that recognises Gordonstoun as an institution which prioritises taking care of the environment. The focus this year is on transport, so the school was keen to try out EAV’s 2Cubed as an alternative to its vans.
The initiative to move across to e-cargo solutions is sponsored and operated by The Energy Saving Trust with Transport Scotland as part of the eBike Grant Fund. The programme is designed to support trials in further and higher education institutions.
Adam Barmby, Founder and CEO of EAV, said: “In a campus environment the 2Cubed is the perfect solution. The vehicle is extremely benign and moves through the environment quietly, efficiently and safely.
“The front of the EAV was specifically designed to be familiar and non-threatening. In a location where you have lots of children and young people, like a school or university campus, it doesn’t provoke any anxiety so is the perfect substitute for any urban van or goods vehicle.”
Lisa Kerr, Principal of Gordonstoun, said: “The EAV has been a big hit with both staff and students here at Gordonstoun. Our domestic and maintenance staff have found it easy to operate and manoeuvrable around campus. Our school community are environmentally aware and embrace the need for change.
“The use of these lightweight EAV vehicles at the school and on the estate will help to cut emissions but also help our staff to become more efficient as they can move from task to task more quickly and easily. We can see this being a useful environmentally-friendly vehicle for schools, colleges and universities worldwide and we’re delighted to be a part of that future”.