NEP Connect has delivered 16 eco-friendly news-gathering vehicles to ITV for use on regional, national and major news events.
The deal, first announced in February 2022, includes 14 plug-in hybrids, offering 35 miles of zero-emission driving.
The other two vehicles utilise battery power for the production and connectivity equipment, offering several hours of zero emissions news-gathering operation, said NEP.
The vehicles are equipped with a combination of bonded 4G and 5G, Wi-Fi and NEP Connect’s Ka band satellite service on an iDirect platform utilising an NEP Connect 9-metre antenna hosted at
MediaCityUK.
All of the vans are now in use across the UK, including at the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London.
The available payload of the vehicles ranges from a minimum of 250kg to a maximum of 900kg, enabling additional crew and a high volume of equipment to be safely and securely carried, said NEP.
The two major events vehicles utilise batteries for production and connectivity and have capacity for additional battery payload to extend the eco-friendly operational running period.
“ITV is delighted with the new hybrid vehicles and service that NEP Connect is providing
for our regional and national News services,” said Paul Stevenson, director of technology and
technical operations, ITV News.
“The technology we developed together has now been proven in the field and it is exciting that we are operating with such innovative and forward-looking solutions. The teams at NEP Connect have delivered and the fleet will allow ITV to continue to lead the way in delivering breaking news coverage across the UK”
