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Tesco has launched the “UK’s first” commercially used fully electric heavy freight articulated trucks.
Two new 37 tonne DAF electric vehicles will transport food and other products from Wentloog rail terminal outside Cardiff to Tesco’s distribution centre in Magor, Wales, in partnership with logistics and international freight forwarding company FSEW.
According to the retailer, heavy goods vehicles make up around 16% of the UK’s domestic transport emissions and addressing this can play a “significant” role in delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions.
It revealed the first two lorries will replace around 65,000 diesel-fuelled road miles with clean green energy, removing 87.4 tonnes of CO2e per year.
By demonstrating that electric HGV transportation is commercially viable, Tesco said the service will contribute to “encouraging” wider investment in technology and innovation that will support the haulage sector’s efforts to reduce emissions and air pollution.
It will also contribute to Tesco’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2035, and FSEW’s work to replace more than 40 diesel vehicles with low-carbon alternatives and switch to fleet-wide zero-emissions transport operations by 2025.
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO, said: “ We’ve already made progress by starting our switch to electric home delivery vans and rolling out electric vehicles charging points for our customers. I’m excited that Tesco can also lead the way in electric haulage innovation, helping to tackle this last source of road transport emissions with the support of FSEW.”
Geoff Tomlinson, FSEW managing director, added: “Together we are working to create a cleaner and greener logistics experience. This is transformational for the UK’s commercial and retail industries and is just the start of our work to supply electric heavy freight vehicles to customers such as Tesco.”
