“We turned our white van men green – and saved £1.9m”

Jodelle Silva, CEO of London-based SBL Couriers, believes that switching to electric vehicles on his fleet has transformed his operation in the capital.

In total, Silva says that his company, whose clients include Parcelforce and Amazon, has saved just shy of £2m.

“With this one decision we’ve already saved £1.9m as a business,” reveals Silva. “And once we convert the entire fleet of 600, we’re on track to save another £2.9m– that’s almost £5m in total. It’s no surprise that we’ve started encouraging many other delivery service partners to make the switch to electric vehicles.

“While the upfront cost of electric vehicles can be higher, they often have lower operating costs; electricity is generally cheaper than petrol or diesel on a per-mile basis, and electric vehicles require less maintenance, so we’ve consistently been making savings,” he furthers. “Plus, 90% of the savings made by our EV fleet are passed back onto our drivers, so we end up having an unbeatable retention rate.”

Silva, who founded the business in Acton in 2012, also explains how the switch to electric was inspired not only by the financial savings, but also by customers’ shifting expectations around sustainability. And he urges other businesses to follow his lead.

“We knew that our clients, particularly those who prioritise sustainability, appreciated those that make environmentally responsible choices,” he says, adding that some customers have even reimbursed SBL for business miles in a bid to push towards their own net zero goals.

Take the plunge

“As a big carbon contributor, the delivery industry has to bite the bullet and do what it can to reduce its footprint,” says Silva. “For us, that came in the form of an electric van overhaul.

“The next step will be to insure the company on an electric fleet policy; these are comparatively cheap and will enable our courier drivers to enjoy lower weekly expenses,” he adds.

SBL’s electric fleet is one of a range of new green initiatives the company has deployed to slash its carbon footprint. “Our new fleet of electric vans has inspired us, and we’re keen to channel that sustainability momentum into other areas of the business,” Silva confirms.

“To start, we’re looking at how we can go electric across our entire supply chain – from shipments at ports or hubs, to last-mile delivery. It’s no mean feat, but we’re committed to the task – and we’ve already made steps in the right direction, with the adoption of new electric forklift trucks at our distribution centres.

“We’re also in the process of installing solar panels at our facilities to power the 12 EV charging units installed at the site,” continues Silva, adding that the company has collaborated with a partner organisation to raise money for tree-planting initiatives.

“There’s a lot happening here at SBL and all of these different strands within the business will hopefully lead us to a point where we can set the standard for sustainability in the logistics industry,” he concludes. “And we want other businesses to follow suit – not just to help the planet, but to help their pockets.”