Electric trucks make a lot of sense on an island, but they don’t come without challenges. Careful planning and new infrastructure are key.
Trinity Francis takes a closer look at DFDS’s plans to cut emissions from its Shetland fleet and explores how the approach could be expanded across Scotland.
The first move is to put a new Volvo FM Electric 4×2 tractor unit to work on the Shetland Isles.
Trinity discusses the deployment with operations manager Bryan Hepburn.
Preparation has involved everything from site surveys and customer engagement to discussions with the Scottish Government and in-depth route analysis.
He said: “It’s too remote to get an electric truck on trial for a short period of time and we wouldn’t have had anywhere to charge it anyway.
“So, we’ve had to build the infrastructure and go for it. Because of the prep work we’ve done and the conversations we’ve had with customers already, I don’t think it’s going to be a tremendous shock when the truck arrives.”
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