A truck manufacturer and parcels company have announced a series of road trials with a battery electric truck, writes Peter Brown.
The eTGX tractor will be supplied by MAN Truck & Bus UK, with DPD running the trial from its Hinckley Hub 4 depot.
The emphasis will be on induction and driver training before hitting the road for real-world operational testing, towing a standard trailer on a dedicated DPD route.
Tim Jones is the director of marketing, communications and sustainability, at DPD Group UK. “We now believe we can get the configuration we need to maintain our double decker trailer fleet, which has enabled us to reduce the overall number of HGVs we put on the road for many years,” he said.
“We are keen to help to develop the electric trucks that can work for us in the real world.”
MAN’s sales director for trucks Tracey Perry said: “These trials will provide invaluable insights for both companies as we work towards a greener future.
“Achieving the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement requires bold action, and electric trucks like our eTGX are a critical part of that mission.”
Beyond the initial trials, MAN and DPD are collaborating to develop a configuration optimised for double-decker trailers, with the first tailored vehicle expected to enter testing later this year.
