MAN Truck & Bus UK has launched a new series of e-Truck road trials.
The trials, which are set to be carried out in partnership with DPD, will see the company test its MAN eTGX tractor at DPD’s Hinckley Hub 4 before further trials on public roads, where it will tow a standard trailer on a dedicated DPD route.
The MAN eTGX is capable of performing trips of up to 800km, and is equipped with an ultra-fast charging capacity of up to 750kW. As part of its initial introduction at the Hinckley Hub; the vehicle will undergo a full induction and driver training programme before operation on public roads.
Tracey Perry, Sales Director MAN Truck, Bus & Coach, commented;We’re proud to partner with DPD on this important journey towards electrification of their HGV fleet. These trials will provide invaluable insights for both companies as we work towards a greener future. As a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer with a growing portfolio of battery-powered solutions, MAN is committed to investing in cutting-edge, climate-neutral transport technologies and actively supporting our customers in decarbonising their operations.
Achieving the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement requires bold action, and electric trucks like our eTGX are a critical part of that mission.
In addition to the aforementioned trials, the two companies have also begun collaborating on the development of an optimised configuration for double-decker trailers, with the first result expected to enter testing by the end of 2025.
Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability, DPDgroup UK commented: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. We are keen to help to develop the electric trucks that can work for us in the real world.
