The environmental credentials of the Crafter’s BlueTDI engines, with emissions beyond the latest Euro5 standards, has helped Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles achieve one of its biggest orders ever for Crafter Tippers – one of the off-the-shelf conversions available from Volkswagen Van Centres.

A total of 71 Crafter Tippers were ordered by Quadron Services , which is using the Crafters for contracts with local authorities in the Midlands and London.

The vehicles will cover an average of 15,000 miles per annum over a five-year lease from HSBC Fleet Management, after which Quadron expects to purchase and run the vehicles for a further five years.

The Crafter Tipper is produced by Ingimex, a Volkswagen accredited converter, and every vehicle was fitted with a towbar and a cage or tail lift, before being supplied by Southern Motor Group, the Volkswagen Van Centre based in Croydon.

The environmental credentials of the Crafter’s efficient BlueTDI engines were very important, as Chris Davies, fleet manager, Quadron Services Limited, explained:

‘Volkswagen’s BlueMotion Technologies and the Crafter’s low emissions were critical to our decision as our local authority clients are extremely environmentally aware and require us to show the environmental credentials of any vehicle we use."

A host of mechanical enhancements to reduce fuel consumption and emissions beyond the latest Euro5 standards were introduced with the latest 2010 model year Volkswagen Crafter range.

As a result, the Crafter achieved certification as an EEV (Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle) – the most exacting European exhaust standard for commercial vehicles.

Emissions of particulates, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide from the Crafter’s BlueTDI engine are almost half way to meeting the next Euro6 standard. Volkswagen has achieved this by using a SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) device and AdBlue system, which is known to be one of the most effective methods of exhaust purification in the commercial vehicle industry – as well as improving the efficiency of the engine.

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