easyJet expands its electric ground vehicles fleet across the UK

Published on September 19, 2024

By: Paramita Sarkar

Low-cost airline easyJet is set to make a saving of 54 tonnes of CO2e per year- thanks to an ongoing fleet renewal programme for its engineering and maintenance vehicles at several of its major bases across the UK and Europe.

Replacing traditional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles for engineering and maintenance teams across its operations.

easyJet has announced significant progress in its transition to electric ground vehicles.

According to a recent report, the airline has already deployed 36 electric vans across several of its major UK bases, including Berlin, Luton, Bristol, and Liverpool.

The initiative is part of easyJet’s broader sustainability strategy, which aims to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to a more environmentally friendly aviation industry.

By replacing traditional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles with electric alternatives, the airline is reducing its emissions and improving air quality.

As per the company’s official website, easyJet plans to further expand its electric fleet in the coming years.

Bases in Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Gatwick, and Manchester are expected to receive additional electric vehicles by 2025 or later.

The airline is planning to continue this roll out across other engineering bases in FY25, at which point 80% of easyJet’s bases will be using fully electric maintenance vans.

Speaking on the initiative, Jane Ashton, Director of Sustainability said, “After a successful, small-scale trial at Berlin Airport last year, which saw the conversion of a number of maintenance vehicles to electric our immediate step was to expand on a much bigger scale across our UK and European bases.

“This small but critical move will help us further reduce the impact of our ground operations and we continue to try and find new ways to do this every day through the integration of operational efficiencies including fleet renewal both for aircraft and maintenance vehicles as well as fleet optimisation through various new technologies.”

This latest development aligns with easyJet’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon intensity and achieve its ambitious sustainability goals.

The airline’s commitment to electric vehicles is a positive sign for the aviation industry, as it showcases the potential for significant emissions reductions through innovative technologies and operational changes.

easyJet continues to work towards its Net Zero ambition, outlined in its Net Zero roadmap launched two years ago, and already achieved a 5% improvement in carbon intensity in 2023 vs the baseline year of 2019.