Miele has partnered with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to electrify its European service fleet with 840 new battery-electric vans.

Just over half of the vehicles will be deployed in Germany, while the remainder will serve domestic and commercial customers across Europe.

The new e-Transporters, which are equipped with lightweight yet secure vehicle racking from Sortimo, will bolster the company’s mission to lower its emissions from mobility.

“The electrification of our vehicle fleet is a key component of our company’s sustainability strategy,” said Rebecca Steinhage, executive director human resources and corporate affairs at the German manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances and commercial equipment.

This transition is at an advanced stage for the company’s Professional Customer Service unit, with almost all 420 staff members transitioning to battery-electric vans. Progress is also underway in the Domestic Customer Service division, where electric vehicles currently make up 30% of the fleet, with further increases planned as the rollout continues.

In addition to cutting emissions, the switch to electric vans brings clear practical benefits to the service team. The eLCVs make stop-and-go driving much easier to manage, while integrated pre-conditioning ensures the cabin is comfortably heated while the vehicle is still connected to the charging infrastructure.

Miele already uses a range of vehicles with alternative powertrains in its customer service fleet, including Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz electric van. The company’s previous findings regarding range, charging times, energy consumption and suitability for everyday use, as well as feedback from its technicians, were fed directly into the requirements for this new generation of vehicles.

“We have two key objectives in mind with the electrification of our service fleet: we are reducing the direct CO2 emissions of our customer service operations while at the same time creating modern, efficient mobile workstations for our technicians,” said Rebecca Steinhage. “Our experience from day-to-day service operations shows us that electric mobility works very well when the vehicle, charging infrastructure and operating profile are consistently aligned.”

Lars Krause, member of the brand board of management for sales, marketing and aftersales at VWCV, commented: “The continuation of this successful partnership is a strong vote of confidence in Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and the e-Transporter.

“Together, we are demonstrating that electric mobility is a convincing and cost-effective solution for day-to-day fleet operations, and we are making a tangible contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.”