Kinaxia Logistics has added the first fully-electric Volvo HGV to its fleet, which will move stock for Vaillant – manufacturer of heat pumps and high-efficiency boilers.
The new Volvo FM 4×2 tractor unit, which has a range of 200 miles and is powered by six batteries and three electric motors, was supplied by Volvo dealer Thomas Hardie Commercials.
This zero-emissions vehicle, which replaces a diesel truck, will transport goods from Vaillant’s manufacturing plant in Belper, Derbyshire, to a national distribution centre seven miles away at Denby.
Kinaxia, which is based in Cheshire, has 1,600 staff nationwide and operates a fleet of 1,000 vehicles transporting goods for the retail, leisure, food and drink and manufacturing sectors.
The company said the tractor unit will reduce delivery emissions for Vaillant by more than 21,600kg CO2e a year.
Nick Bennett, supply chain director at Vaillant Group UK & Ireland, said, “At Vaillant, we are driving the transition to decarbonising home heating with our heat pump technology, so this new vehicle moves us forward in a positive way whilst we consider how we further decarbonise the whole supply chain.
“We see this as the first of many electric vehicles yet to be introduced into our fleet.”
Simon Nelson, managing director of Kinaxia’s contract logistics operations, said, “This upgrade supports Vaillant’s goal to halve its carbon emissions by 2030 and there are great synergies between both businesses, as we drive decarbonisation of our customer supply chains and Vaillant supports the decarbonisation of home heating through the design and manufacture of low-carbon systems.”
