The Porter electric provides a financial and environmental solution for fleet operators looking to keep running costs to a minimum as the zero-emission version is exempt from congestion charging and road fund licence in the UK.

The highly successful Piaggio Porter light commercial vehicle range has once again been awarded the prestigious What Van? Microvan of the Year award in the UK for the fifth consecutive year. Winners in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and now 2008, the multi award winning Porter range still provides an economical, compact solution for today’s busy light commercial vehicle operator without compromising on load carrying ability.

The Porter range has continued to impress the What Van? judges with its versatility as it boasts several functional variants; Panel Van, MPV, Pick Up, Big Deck, Tipper and Chassis Cab, to which almost anything can be added such as waste disposal units and cherry pickers. As well as the Big Deck and Tipper bodies, also available are the Top Deck and Tipper SL versions which have higher alloy drop sides instead of the standard steel.

Impressive payload capacities are another of the Porter’s great features, ranging from 560kg for the Panel Van to 685kg for the Big Deck. The Panel Van has a remarkable load volume of 3 cubic metres which matches and beats many of its competitors. In addition to this comprehensive line-up, the Porter range also provides further choice with its sturdy 4x4 and zero-emission electric versions, both available in the same variants as the standard 4x2 version.

The Porter 4x4 is the perfect choice for operating in rugged, boggy areas as its factory fitted permanent four wheel drive with electronic locking centre differential assists it through difficult terrain. The compact dimensions work in its favour as the Porter 4x4 can operate easily in rural areas and narrow lanes which can be hard to get through in a vehicle larger in size than the Porter.

The Porter electric provides a financial and environmental solution for fleet operators looking to keep running costs to a minimum as the zero-emission version is exempt from congestion charging and road fund licence in the UK. The Porter electric has a generous range of approximately 70 miles and can easily be charged via a 13 amp socket which takes around 8 hours or by 3-phase supply for a faster 2 hour charge.