The UK’s first fully electric temperature-controlled truck is set to tour around the country.
According to the partnership behind the zero-emission 19-tonne refrigerated vehicle, the tour will demonstrate how electric power is the future for temperature-controlled transport.
Commercial vehicle solutions provider Riverside Truck Rental has teamed up with electric HGV manufacturer Electra Commercial Vehicles for the project.
As previously reported by CiTTi, the Electra vehicle was trialled by Gregory’s Distribution for its Brewdog contract. The Ellon-based brewery recently announced that, from April, the Electra EV will deliver beer to its London customers.
The Electra e-Cargo SEIV 19 urban refrigeration vehicle is based on a 19-tonne Iveco Euro Cargo 4×2 glider chassis.
Iveco built the chassis to Electra’s glider specification at its factory in Brescia, Italy. Space for the electric motor, batteries and electric PTO are predesigned.
Electra said the electrification process does not compromise the chassis’ essential qualities such as automatic braking and lane-assist functionalities.
Power is provided by an electric traction motor that delivers up to 350kW of peak power, 3,400Nm of peak torque, or continuous energy of 260kW and 2,060Nm of torque.
Electra offers a choice of mission-specific lithium iron phosphate batteries, with options including 160kWh, 225kWh and 287kWh, giving vehicles an extended working range suitable for most urban applications.
The demo truck has been equipped with 225kWh of batteries. The recharging time is approximately five hours at 40kW with a 63A plug, enabling operators to recharge the HGV in between shifts.
Furthermore, the system and batteries also provides continuous power to the onboard Frigoblock fridge system. This fridge system is fully integrated, enabling zero-emission operation even whilst the vehicle is stationary.
Sid Sadique, chairman of Electra Commercial Vehicles, said: “The new truck presents enormous environmental and noise savings and carbon footprint reductions.
“It is just another example of how our innovation lends itself to electrification perfectly.”
Riverside Truck Rental supports Electra with its national service network backed up with both three-year OEM warranty for the chassis and Electra warranty for the drive system.
