Montreuil Converts Its Old Utility Vehicles to Electric

Why dispose of your old utility vehicles when they are still fit for service? Instead of investing in costly new models, the city of Montreuil is opting for retrofitting.

What to do with your diesel utility vehicle with the implementation of low-emission zones (LEZ), which will soon prohibit their access to city centers? For some, the solution is called retrofitting. Behind this Anglo-Saxon term is the idea of converting thermal models into electric models, thus giving them a second life.

Many companies have embarked on this adventure in France, especially since the government recently introduced tax incentives for professionals and individuals to take the step.

This is the case of the municipality of Montreuil (Seine Saint-Denis), which has partnered with the company TOLV, based in the Grenoble region, to convert 50 utility vehicles to electric, including Renault Trafic models.

“The objective of this collaboration is to enable the city of Montreuil to electrify its fleet of vehicles to achieve carbon neutrality by promoting the reuse of existing resources and contributing to the city’s compliance with the regulatory requirements set by the Mobility Orientation Law (LOM),” states the Municipality on its website Internet.

Electrified mechanics?

The first unit to come off the assembly line will be tested daily, particularly for travel within the municipality. It will also serve as a test model, especially in training aspiring mechanics in vocational high schools to initiate the transition of the profession into fully electric.

Ultimately, retrofitting, although it incurs a relatively significant cost, will allow for medium- to long-term savings with electric refills replacing fuel fills, but also less costly maintenance due to the removal of many mechanical parts.

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