CASH-STRAPPED council chiefs have invested in a new fleet of meals-on-wheels electric vans - costing just two pennies a mile to run, it has been revealed.

The Nissan e-NV200 vans are expected to save £8,000 a year in fuel costs for Torfaen council, plus more than £1,000 a year in tax, as the vehicles don’t require taxing.

Drivers do up to 35 deliveries a day helping to give a “lifeline” to around 175 Torfaen residents.

The five automatic vehicles cost just two pence per mile to run and can cover around 106 miles on a single 30-minute charge.

The vans are being leased to the council at a cost of around £18,000 each year for the next three years.

Torfaen council community meals manager, Gareth Boyd, said: “We are very very pleased that we’ve gone electric.

"We are very pleased with the vans and most importantly the drivers are very pleased with the vans.

"We’ve got people out there who don’t see anyone else during the day so having someone deliver a hot meal on a daily basis is a real lifeline for many people.

“Our drivers play a very important part in the care of many of the most vulnerable people in our community.

“The community meals service does a fantastic job on a very tight budget and these vehicles allow us to make some significant savings while continuing to deliver a high level of service.”

Two chefs prepare the meals on wheels which are delivered by eight drivers.

The low carbon footprint vehicles are also less noisy than the previous diesel vehicles.

Torfaen council deputy leader Cllr Anthony Hunt said: “These vans offer a win-win situation for the council.

“Firstly, we expect to make fuel savings of around £8,000 per year which is a major benefit for the residents of Torfaen at a time when budgets are tight.

“Secondly the vehicles will have a significant impact as we look to reduce our carbon emissions and improve air quality in the county.”