Barlows, the electrical contractors, has added 22 Toyota Corolla Commercial hybrid electric vans to its fleet to transport its engineers’ and contract managers’ equipment – including their stepladders.
The family business, established for more than 70 years, has specified all the vehicles with tinted windows, eight have roof racks required for longer ladders, and all are fitted with a 70mph speed limiter.
Originally established in Malpas, Cheshire, Barlows has expanded nationwide, with regional offices in Manchester, Lancaster and High Wycombe.
It provides a complete range of electrical and maintenance services across the country, including the installation of domestic and commercial chargers for EVs.
The Corolla Commercial is manufactured at Toyota’s vehicle plant at Burnaston near Derby and was updated at the beginning of this year, benefiting from more powerful and more efficient fifth generation hybrid electric technology.
They qualify for five years’ free roadside assistance and warranty cover for up to ten years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes first.
John Barlow, Managing Director, said, “Our turnover has increased from £30 million to £40 million in the last year, so we constantly need more staff and more vans.
“With the global chip shortage still affecting supply, we’re likely to keep our vehicles for a couple of years longer than we usually would.
“This means warranties, reliability and residual values on higher mileage vehicles are more important than ever.
“Toyota is a superior brand and should meet these priorities well. We are also reducing our overall mileage by employing more engineers and operating across smaller geographical areas.”