Expect Distribution has taken delivery of its first two fully electric HGVs as part of the eFreight 2030 project, marking a major step towards its ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2035.
The vehicles – a Renault Trucks E-Tech T 4×2 tractor unit with sleeper cab and a Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide rigid with curtainsider body – join the haulier’s fleet of more than 100 HGVs.
Both vehicles are based at the company’s Woodlands distribution hub in Bradford, just off the M62, where Expect Distribution also has two new 240kW chargers, installed by Voltempo, each capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously.
The new charging facilities will be used primarily to recharge the trucks overnight, with the potential to make planned charging available to third parties at other times.
One of the vehicles will be used daily to trunk to the Palletline hub in Birmingham, while the second will be deployed on store deliveries for Card Factory across the local region.
Together, the trucks are expected to deliver an annual saving of around 195 tonnes of carbon dioxide compared with their diesel counterparts.
Led by Voltempo, the eFreight 2030 consortium is one of four UK government–funded demonstrator projects under the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, which aims to kickstart the uptake of zero emission HGVs.
Andy Taylor, Operations Director at Expect Distribution said, “The eFreight 2030 project has given us the opportunity to invest in technology that not only reduces our carbon emissions but also to prove that sustainability in logistics can be achieved without unsustainable cost increases.”
