Alliance Flooring Distribution (ADL) has expanded its vehicle fleet with two Volvo FM Electric trucks and a Volvo FH Aero 460 tractor unit, adding to two electric trucks acquired earlier this year. The vehicles will operate from the company’s Worcester distribution center, which features various environmental initiatives including solar panels and rainwater harvesting.
The electric trucks, equipped with six batteries, have an operational range of approximately 300 kilometres. They can be fully recharged in 2.5 hours using a 250kW DC charger or 9.5 hours with a 43kW AC charger. The vehicles are powered by three electric motors that produce 666 horsepower and 2,400 Nm of continuous torque.
Phil Yates, Managing Director of ADL, commented: “Our commitment to sustainability is unwavering, and by incorporating Volvo’s electric trucks alongside the sleek FH Aero we’re taking significant strides in reducing our carbon footprint.”
The electric trucks will transport carpets from Wales to ADL’s Worcester facility on weekdays. The diesel-powered FH Aero, featuring aerodynamic improvements that reduce emissions by up to 5%, will handle nationwide deliveries and is expected to cover approximately 125,000 kilometres annually.
Yates noted the fuel efficiency of the new diesel truck: “While it is still early days, the FH Aero’s fuel economy has been truly remarkable with the truck registering as much as 12 mpg on average. If the rest of our fleet could deliver those sorts of figures, I would be a happy man!”
ADL operates from four distribution sites across the UK, including facilities in Hartlepool, Hemel Hempstead, and Newbridge, in addition to Worcester. The company has the capacity to store more than 50,000 rolls of soft flooring, artificial grass, and rolled vinyl, plus 10,000 pallets.
The new vehicles were supplied by Hartshorne Group, with Volvo assisting in route planning and charging infrastructure implementation. “Volvo played a key role in this process by helping us assess the optimal routes for our electric trucks with their range simulator,” Yates added.
