Great Britain sends electric trucks into long-distance transport

A program to demonstrate emission-free transport solutions for long-distance transport using battery-powered trucks has been launched in the UK. It is set to run for five years and is funded by the British government. It is supported by the Inovate UK initiative, which is not part of any government department. The aim is to support both the introduction of fully electric long-distance transport and the establishment of a public charging infrastructure for trucks.

The Dutch truck manufacturer DAF is also participating in the project with tractor units from the XD Electric and XF Electric series, which are used by major operators. Among others, fleets from Maritime Transport, Marks & Spencer, Menzies, Royal Mail and Eddie Stobart are involved in the program. The trucks have a range of up to 500 kilometers and a permissible total weight of 42 tons.

The demonstrator program follows the completion of the recent practical test of battery-powered distribution trucks. This saw 20 DAF LF Electric trucks used for urban goods transport by public bodies, including the National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities, in England. (aum)