Cardiff Wales Airport expands green fleet with introduction of EVs

Cardiff Wales Airport has announced that it has taken a significant step towards further reducing its carbon footprint by adding six new electric-powered vehicles to its operational fleet. The Maxus T90EVs, the first electric pick-up trucks available in the UK, have been delivered to the National Airport for Wales. Three of the vehicles will be used at Cardiff Airport, while the remaining three will support operations at St Athan Aerodrome. These vehicles will serve various teams, including those responsible for car parks, security, airfield operations and bird control.

Over the past four years, Cardiff Airport has successfully reduced its carbon emissions by over 60%, cutting them from 1,700 tonnes to under 600 tonnes of CO2 annually. The airport’s ongoing environmental strategy aims to further halve these emissions within the next five years.

The airport’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint include:

• Transitioning to 100% renewable and clean energy sources
• Achieving zero waste to landfill through extensive recycling initiatives
• Cutting natural gas consumption by 30%
• Upgrading to more energy-efficient technology across the facility
• Implementing engine run-time restrictions during anti-social hours
• Promoting noise reduction through continuous descent operations for aircraft
• Encouraging twin-engine aircraft to taxi using a single engine
• Rolling out a replacement programme for LED lighting
• Reducing plastic use in collaboration with partners.

Mark Bailey, Cardiff Airport’s Director of Environmental Sustainability & Planning, emphasised the importance of the new electric vehicles, stating, “These new vehicles are an asset to our teams. Replacing the diesel fleet with electric is helping us improve air quality and cut our CO2 emissions. This builds on the fantastic work we’re doing as a business as we continue our journey to achieve carbon net zero.”