Climate change is the spectre haunting the fleet sector and all but the most dogmatic denialists have come to accept that a change in direction is needed to stave off the threat. Even if – against all the evidence – you do not believe that manmade pollution is damaging the environment, the political, economic and cultural winds have shifted to such an extent that everyone from local authorities to contractors are compelled to move to more environmentally friendly practices.
The sweeper manufacturer Scarab contends that they are ahead of the game thanks to what Andrew Farley, the branch manager of Scarab’s UK office, describes as their ‘single-engine ethos’. They argue that whilst there are other green sweeper solutions emerging, for example electric or hydrogen, for the majority of customers these aren’t a practical alternative in the short- to medium-term. It is Scarab’s belief that single-engine sweepers are the best choice for councils and contractors that wish to reduce their emissions now.
‘We’re bringing customers on a journey from twin engine to single engine to electric propulsion, at a pace that complements OEM chassis providers’ electrification programs and the development of charging infrastructure', explains Simon Stringer, Scarab’s UK sales manager.
‘Five years from now electric will be a different proposition, but in the meantime, we believe that the efficient use of diesel is an interim necessity and there are credible solutions today to optimize fuel usage and reduce CO2, and other emissions.’
Whilst they are not the only manufacturer out there that produces single-engine sweepers, Scarab are, in their own words, ‘pioneers of the environmentally friendly single-engine truck mounted sweeper’.
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