DPD has completed a series of engineering testing with the full-electric Volta Zero as part of the larger beta trials for the new 16-tonne truck.The design verification prototype was put through its paces at the DPD’s Hinckley Superhub in Leicestershire.
As reported by Frieght Carbon Zerossister publication Motor Transport, DPD drivers, joined by Volta Trucks engineers and trained drivers, visited the company’s Hinckley Superhub in Leicestershire and tested the vehicle, unladen, on a variety of pre-determined routes, including highways, A-roads, and urban areas.
The experiments are part of DPD’s larger goal of being the most environmentally friendly parcel delivery firm in the UK.
The company is currently on track to have over 3,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on the road this year and 4,000 by 2023, when it will be delivering to 30 towns and cities using electric vehicles only.
The purpose-built, full-electric Volta Zero truck has an operating pure-electric range of 150 – 200 kms and is designed to significantly cut the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres.
The Beta Trials are part of Volta’s test and development programme and a key step towards the start of customer production in early 2023. Olly Craughan, head of sustainability at DPD commented, “It was fantastic to get our hands on a Volta Zero and put it through its paces, with our own drivers alongside Volta Trucks’ engineers. We had the truck for five days and it is very impressive. The trial is an opportunity for us to test the vehicle first-hand, while helping Volta Trucks see exactly how it performs in real-life scenarios and on typical routes.
“Working with the Volta Trucks team in the cab gave us a great insight into what they are doing and how the truck could fit into the fleet. Increasingly we are operating in low or zero-emission zones in major cities, so with micro-depots and all-electric city centre van fleets we have already transformed our urban delivery strategy. But there is a real need for bigger, green vehicles that can fit into that strategy.”
