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Jan 2024

Last Updated: 26/01/2024

Ripon's Econ Engineering announces landmark deal for first electric gritter

by Lauren Ryan

| 26 Jan, 2024

Ripon firm Econ Engineering has announced a landmark deal for the first fully electric-powered gritter.

The Stray Ferret reported when the firm launched the gritter last year.

A year later, Econ has secured a contract with UK highways specialist Ringway, which has signed up to take delivery of the revolutionary Electric Quick-Change Body (E-QCB) model.

The E-QCB enables the vehicle’s bodywork to be easily switched between gritter, tipper or caged body modes.

Jonathan Lupton, managing director at Econ Engineering, said:

“We are delighted to extend what is already a strong relationship with Ringway by adding the E-QCB to its fleet. We are confident the vehicle will continue to impress and that its benefits will soon result in more deals of this kind.”

Econ supplies gritters, hot boxes and tippers to local councils and contractors across the UK.

The vehicle utilises sustainable technology, helping customers cut their emissions footprint.

The vehicle was taken on a demonstration tour and gritted rural routes on a snowy day at Sutton Bank. A North Yorkshire Council spokesperson said afterwards:

“The vehicle impressed us, especially coping with the hills and had excellent range for an electric vehicle.”

Ringway is responsible for looking after more than 50,000kms of the UKs highways network and has a long-term strategic fleet partnership with Econ. It is the first contractor to sign up to a deal for the E-QCB.

Dave Olley, operations manager at Ringway said:

“Working with Econ Engineering we trialled the fully electric E-QCB multi-purpose vehicle and are now looking forward to adding it to our fleet and putting it to use on the UK’s road network.”

The vehicle can be fully charged in less than two hours, runs near silent with a range of up to 170 miles, and with no exhaust gases produced, can make deliveries in zero emission zones.

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