British roadside assistance company AA has introduced 15 battery-electric Ford Transit Customs and 15 plug-in hybrid variants into its fleet as part of a trial to assess their performance in real-world scenarios. These vehicles will operate in cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Nottingham, Liverpool, and London, undergoing structured tests to evaluate their suitability for the company’s needs.
The trial focuses on key operational factors, including the practicality of home and strategic charging solutions. According to AA, all participating patrols will have home chargers installed to support low-carbon operations, complemented by charging solutions from its partner, Rightcharge. The towing capacity of the vehicles is another critical factor being assessed, particularly for roadside assistance services. While the battery-electric Ford Transit Custom offers a range of up to 236 miles (380 kilometers), the company is conservatively estimating a working range of 120 miles (193 kilometers) when towing.
“The famous yellow van has seen countless improvements over the decades, but few innovations can be more important than this transition to BEV and PHEV,” said Duncan Webb, AA’s head of fleet. He added that the performance of low-emission vehicles introduced earlier this year has met or exceeded expectations, reaffirming the company’s “test and scale” approach to tackling operational challenges.
The AA’s fleet now includes over 50 low- or zero-emission vehicles, ranging from electric Volvo FE Slidebeds to Iveco eDaily Powerload and Iveco eDaily vans. The company aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035, with this trial marking a significant step toward that goal.
