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Hydro-Genius: Have We Found A Potential Courier Emissions Solution?

Reducing carbon emissions is a difficult business, particularly in the courier industry where driving long distances on the roads is a given. Several new solutions are being tried and tested, but hydrogen is one of the most recent alternatives to be put forward. Could this be the answer to reducing fossil fuel consumption?
The Future of Fuel

As yet, there are no vehicles powered solely by this chemical element that are commercially available, but manufacturers are looking towards producing them in the near future. At the moment, hybrids are being used, which combine compressed hydrogen with either petrol or diesel to power the automobile.

How does it Work?

To power a vehicle using hydrogen, it must either be burnt in an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) or used through a Fuel Cell. Currently, for Internal Combustion Engine Diesel hybrids (known as ICED’s), the compressed hydrogen is stored in tanks and then used in combination with diesel or petrol. There is a small number of these ‘green’ vans which are available at present, but many more are still in production as manufacturers work towards reducing emissions by 70%.

For Fuel Cell Vehicles, (FCVs) the hydrogen fuel is used to generate electricity which powers the automobile. For this option, car and bus models are available, but unfortunately no van models have been manufactured, so this is not yet a viable option for a courier driver.

The Pros

• If the hydrogen in a hybrid runs out, the automobile will simply operate on the diesel as a conventional van would. • Having a green vehicle could help you avoid taxes and fines, particularly since the government are becoming increasingly concerned with pollution. Regulations are likely to become stricter in the future, so a hybrid will probably be an excellent investment in the long run. • Hybrids are extremely similar to standard diesel vans in terms of how they are to drive, so if you are a courier driver, they will feel similar to operate. • The load space is not affected by the added storage tanks. • Tailpipe emissions are lower than diesel automobiles.

The Cons

• ICED’s still produce harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons, so are not completely eco-friendly. • There are currently just 13 refuelling stations in the UK for hybrid cars. This limits operation ranges since a courier driver would have to stay within a relatively close range to these stations. • Payload would be slightly reduced due to the storage tanks.

If you are a courier driver and keen to move forward to a hybrid van, it may be a few more years before it would be an effective choice for your business. Being limited by the proximity of the refuelling stations is certainly not ideal, but the possibility of having an eco-friendly fleet is something you can definitely look forward to.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day courier drivers in the express freight exchange industry. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.

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10 Radical Ways of Moving Homes Smartly!

There you have got a move planned from Surat to Pune and the only thing that is bothering you is your busy schedule and therefore the time crunch that you are facing owing to that. But you can hand over the entire packing responsibility to the professional packers and movers in Surat.
This team will ensure that your house-moving journey happens as effortlessly as possible by:

• Updating you with the key packing tips and tricks

• Informing you the right way to pack and move

• Taking care of every small and big packing chore ideally

• Ascertaining there remains no possibility of the hassle along the course

Idea

Relocations are full of ups and downs. There are more qualms than there are resolutions but finding a suitable moving course is your core responsibility and for that, you should do plenty of research, deep assessment of the available moving options, and handpick the one that is not just up-to-the-mark but which best addresses your moving needs.

So, let’s dive deep into the article and see what the expedient ways of relocation are:

• Join the moving blocks: You will have a first-class moving plan if you know how you can associate the moving blocks the right way and devise your move most expediently. Break the complicated tasks into smaller ones and attend to your tasks one by one. Do not get into it without a plan or process. You will eventually see how your move shapes up brilliantly and everything becomes sorted and clear. • Evaluate your belongings: Ahead of starting with the packing task, you first need to go through all the things that you have with you – all your goods, your possessions, everything. At this point, you will have a couple of things to take care of – first, you have to decide which of the items are useful to you, i.e. which are the items that you should move, and at the same, you have to think of the nature of belongings you are moving because the packing would depend on the class of the belongings. • Be aware of complexity: Moves can never be without flaws, without problems. There will be something or the other to bother you at every point in time. So, it is better to be prepared ahead of the journey so that even if there comes an unfavorable scenario and you find yourself amidst a dearth of the required resources, you can rely on your knowledge and the moving assistance you collected to prepare for the move. • Give yourself a week to adjust: Initially, it could take some time for you to get used to the packing routine you want to follow for your move. If you have thought of performing the task or at least a share of the task yourself, see how effortlessly you can do it. If the process consumes a lot of your time and effort, consider leaving it for the professionals only. Or else, figure out from the first week of your packing, how much time you will need for the completion of the remaining packing if you work with the same process and pace. • Handle errands on time: The professionals will come over the day you will book them but make sure you are closing all your personal and professional tasks before the moving date arrives. Out of all these urgent chores, you will have a few that will take up a lot of your time and efforts but go easy, do not stress way too much, and have someone from your family or a trusted friend who can help you in your hour of urgency. • Choose licensed movers: Moving homes with authentic moving companies is one of the best things one can do when they are shifting homes. Some research and assessment can even help you to reach out for that budget-friendly deal that you have been looking for, for yourself. For your storage needs, ascertain your moving company also offers storage services, so you can have all your moving qualms fixed. • Keep account of key things: On your level, keep close track of the moving plan. Mark tasks on your checklist as soon as you keep closing the things. Do not be too strict with the timeline of your to-do tasks because the ultimate idea at the back of your mind should be nothing but closing the activities on time. So, we would advise you to keep some buffer time in hand. • Volunteer your move: You can have your friends assist you with your packing and final day assessment tasks or you can expect your neighbors to on the project if you are okay with that idea and your friends and neighbors are also eager to join you in the task. Arrange some snacks and meals so you can have a good time before departing the place. • Take it as an adventure: Experiencing some degree of uneasiness and anxiety is quite normal. After all, all of this gives the moving journey a fair shot of experience and makes it worthwhile. So, make sure you have a plan B in place so you can put that into function in case something does not seem to go the right route. Be fully prepared and enjoy every bit of the journey. • Be smart with finances: Everyone who has moved before knows how important is it to keep up with the finances when the move is in process. Keeping aside the set amount ahead of the move enables you to figure out exactly where and how you are spending the money and where you need to curtail your outlays. Henceforth, ascertain to devise a first-class budget and see how smoothly everything unfolds.

Moving from one place to another, i.e. from Surat to Pune with the specialist movers and packers in Surat would be a cakewalk for you. So, forget all your moving qualms and just be confident while you follow the moving ideas shared with you in this post and do as the experts say!

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Renault Delivers Second Generation Electric Truck Range

Renault has announced its second generation of electric trucks, suited for all types of haulage work, which will be available before the end of 2018. With concerns about air quality, particularly in urban areas, and global CO2 levels at an all-time high, this is a well-timed launch that will help hauliers make the switch to electric vehicles.
This article will give a brief overview of the range, and perhaps persuade you to think about making the change to a fully electric vehicle in the next few years.

Renault and Electric Vehicles

Renault has been working on hybrid and electric vehicle technology for an entire decade. They describe themselves as experts in the field, offering a huge range of options for their customers, as well as plenty of support to help people transition to the new tech.

What is on Offer?

With the range offering vehicles suitable for all kinds of haulage work, from last mile to refuse collection, Renault is putting forward the widest choice of electric vehicles ever. The range includes trucks with weights from 3.1 tonnes to 26 tonnes. The Master ZE will be available in autumn 2018, with panel van and platform cab variants, however, if you want to use the Renault Trucks 16t D ZE and 26t D Wide ZE for your haulage work, you’ll have to wait until the end of 2019. The 16t D ZE model is well-suited to temperature-controlled deliveries and haulage work in urban areas.

All models have zero tailpipe emissions of CO2 and local pollutants. Alongside the environmental benefits, these trucks come fitted with a variety of useful tech, such as a reversing camera and a reversing radar system.

The Practicalities

• Compliance: The trucks are fully compliant, even in urban areas, as they do not emit CO2 or local pollutants. They are also very quiet, reducing congestion during the day by allowing out-of-hours deliveries. • Charging: Batteries for different models have different charge times, though all are fairly practical, allowing easy overnight charging. The Master ZE range takes six hours to charge the batteries, which are located under the front seats. These batteries have an operating range of roughly 190 miles. The D ZE trucks with lithium batteries can be fully charged in just a couple of hours using the 150kW Combo CCS connector. With AC charging, batteries need 12 hours. AC charging may be more practical for those just getting started with electric vehicles, as a three-phase 380V 32A industrial power socket can be used. • Cost: With the impressive technological advances made in electromobility over the past few years, investing in an electric vehicle has become economically feasible for hauliers. They are certainly the future and Renault has made electromobility a viable option for small and large operations alike.

For those involved in haulage work, the time has never been better to switch to electric. With this new range, Renault has made taking that decision significantly easier, so why not give it some serious consideration?

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.

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