In an industry first, Tesco has become the first retailer to launch a zero-emission electric lorry to make deliveries from its distribution centres to stores in city centres.
The first electrically-powered lorry of its kind, made by Renault Trucks, is now delivering to more than 400 stores in Greater London, with further electric lorries entering service in the coming months. The lorry has a range of up to 130 miles and is able to carry the same payload as the diesel truck it replaces.
Many towns and cities are planning zero-emission zones to tackle poor air quality, and electric vehicles will play an increasingly important role in delivering goods into areas where diesel lorries are prohibited.
The lorry is expected to replace around 30,000 miles per year of diesel-fuelled road miles with clean green energy, removing 23 tonnes of CO2e per year. To power it, Tesco has installed electric charge points at its Dagenham distribution centre.
The Renault Trucks D Wide E-Tech vehicle has multi temperature zones - allowing the truck to move stock that has different temperature needs,
Tesco is also working with Volta Trucks on a prototype full-electric lorry. The Volta Zero was specifically designed to help tackle the problem of emissions in urban areas as well as improving road safety as a result of its purpose-built, ground-up design. The glasshouse-style cab, where the driver sits in the centre, together with cameras replacing wing mirrors, minimises blind spots and allows the driver better visibility of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
Currently, heavy goods vehicles, including delivery vehicles, make up around 16 percent of the UK’s domestic transport emissions and addressing this can play a significant role in delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions. Adding electric delivery lorries to its fleet will contribute to Tesco’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions in its own operations by 2035.
In January this year, Tesco became the first UK retailer to add electric heavy freight articulated trucks to its fleet, that transport products emissions-free between Cardiff rail terminal and its distribution centre in Magor.
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO said: “We all want to see improved air quality and less pollution in our towns and cities, and electric vehicles will play a crucial role in achieving this. The Tesco distribution network is one of the largest in the UK and provides us with a great opportunity to roll out new technologies like this industry-leading E Tech electric truck from Renault Trucks. Together with our switch to electric home delivery vans and rolling out electric vehicle charging points for our customers, we’re really excited about the improvements we’re making across our business, and our transition to electric vehicles.”
Carlos Rodrigues, Managing Director, Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted that Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, has chosen to partner with Renault Trucks on its journey to net zero and selected the E-Tech D-Wide for its first fully electric model to move refrigerated goods more quietly and with zero emissions across the Greater London area.”
Renault Trucks D Wide E Tech 18/19t
4.75m wheelbase Day cab, 4 x 66 kWh traction batteries with 22kWh AC / 150 kWh DC charging capability.
600v TVJB Fridge power supply unit.
Solomon Commercials 6.4m External length refrigerated body with rear shutter door and 1500kg Column tail lift to Tesco specification.
Carrier TRS Syberia 11 with power converter, powered directly from the vehicle batteries via Renault Trucks 600v TVJB Fridge power supply unit.
Julia Crowe, Director Julia@stream-ltd.com 07711 735600
Fiona Pinkney, Manager Fionap@stream-ltd.com 07809 445107
Building on the legacy of more than a century of French truck know-how, Renault Trucks supplies transport professionals with a range of vehicles (from 3.1 to 60 T) and services adapted to the segments of distribution, construction and long distance. Renault Trucks vehicles are sturdy and reliable with low fuel consumption that enables them to deliver greater productivity and control operating costs. Renault Trucks distributes and maintains its vehicles through a network of more than 1,500 service points around the world. The design and assembly of Renault Trucks vehicles, as well as the production of most of the components, are carried out in France.
Renault Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, coaches, buses, construction machines, and industrial and marine engines. The group also offers complete financing and service solutions. The Volvo Group employs around 95,000 people, has production plants in 19 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. In 2021, Volvo group sales amounted to 34 billion euros (372 billion Swedish crowns). The Volvo Group is a listed company with registered offices in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm Stock Exchange.
The Volta Zero is the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne vehicle designed for urban logistics, reducing the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres. Designed from the ground up with an operating pure-electric range of 95 – 125 miles, the Volta Zero will eliminate an estimated 1.2M tonnes of CO2 by 2025.
Safety is also at the heart of Volta Trucks, with its ambition of producing the safest trucks for our cities. The Volta Zero was designed for electric from the outset, which facilitates a step-change in vehicle, driver and pedestrian safety. Thanks to the removal of the internal combustion engine, the operator of a Volta Zero sits in a central driving position, with a much lower seat height than a conventional truck. This combination, plus a glass house-style cab design, gives the driver a wide 220-degrees of visibility, minimising dangerous blind spots. The prototype Volta Zero was launched in September 2020, with the first vehicles expected to be operating with customers in mid-2022.
Volta Trucks is a scale-up full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services company. Volta Trucks’ Head Office is in Stockholm, Sweden, with its engineering led from the UK, and manufacturing facility in Steyr, Austria. The company also has sales teams across France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, and the UK. Volta Trucks is partnering with a number of global leaders in the supply chain for the development and production of the Volta Zero.
Volta Trucks has a total order bank of around 6,500 vehicles, with an order bank value of circa €1.4 billion.
For further information, please contact: Duncan Forrester Chief Communications Officer E: Duncan.Forrester@voltatrucks.com E: press@voltatrucks.com
We're taking strong action on climate change, with a commitment to be carbon neutral in our own operations by 2035 and net zero across our whole footprint by 2050.
We were the first FTSE 100 company to commit to science-based targets in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target.
In 2021/22, we achieved an absolute reduction in our operations of 52% against a 2015 baseline. We’ve done this by using energy and refrigeration more efficiently, and by adopting 100% renewable electricity across the Group.
In 2019 we announced a project to source renewable electricity directly from wind farms and, solar farms via Power Purchase Agreements, as well as installing solar panels and wind turbines at our own sites.
Also in 2019, we signed up to the Clean Van Commitment supporting the switch to low- emission vans. We will have a fully electric UK home delivery fleet by 2028. We're part of EV100, a global initiative committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles.
Earlier this year we introduced HGV trailers with refrigeration units powered by solar panels rather than using traditional diesel engine technology.
We’ve expanded the UK’s largest free electric vehicle charging network to 500 stores nationwide with Inverness Extra proudly becoming store number 500.
We’re the first UK retailer to start running a dedicated rail service from Spain using temperature-controlled containers. We’ve now established five weekly train services from Spain to its Barking depot, carrying 35,000 loads of fresh produce. Our rail service from Spain helps to reduce emissions by around 76% compared to lorries, the equivalent of 4,500 tonnes of CO2.
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