Parcel delivery company DPD is conducting electric HGV road trials with MAN, with a view to introducing heavy-duty electric trucks later this year.
DPD is running road trials with the MAN eTGX which has a range of up to 800 kms and a charging capacity of up to 750 kW.
The truck will be based at one of DPD’s hubs in Hinckley. After a full induction and driver training is completed it will be assigned to a DPD route for operational testing, towing a standard trailer.
For a number of years DPD have been using double-decker trailers which have the benefit of reducing the number of vehicles on the road through their increased carrying capacity. This, however presents a challenge in terms of electrification. To this end, DPD is working with MAN to develop a configuration capable of pulling these trailers. It is expected that DPD will begin testing such a vehicle later this year.
DPD is working towards a Net Zero target by 2040—fully validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The company has confirmed that its UK operations are on track to meet this goal, having already achieved a 47.5% reduction in overall emissions by the end of 2024 compared to its 2020 baseline.
95% of the company’s 1,600 HGVs now run on Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil which has reduced emissions by 83% compared to diesel.
They also run a constantly updated Sustainability Dashboard, showing the company’s progrress.
Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability, DPDgroup UK commented, ‘With over a third of our delivery vans now electric and the vast majority of our transport fleet running on HVO, we have made very real progress towards meeting our net-Zero targets. Electric HGVs have the potential to become a viable solution in the future, and 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.
‘HVO is likely to remain the most effective solution in the medium term, delivering a huge emissions reduction. It remains key to our strategy for reaching our near-term target in 2030, but we are keen to work with manufacturers to help develop the electric trucks that can work for us in the real world.’
Stefan Thyssen, Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd said: ‘We are thrilled to have partnered with DPD on their electric HGV road trials.
‘As a manufacturer, we are committed to supporting our customers in decarbonizing their road transport operations. These trials with our all-electric eTGX tractor not only demonstrate the real-world viability of electric trucks in a high-demand logistics environment but also highlight the significant emissions reductions and sustainability benefits they bring to the industry.’