Tesco is to operate two electric heavy freight articulated trucks from this month, the first in commercial operation in the UK.
The company is partnering with logistics and freight forwarding company FSEW to transport goods emission-free in two new 37 tonne DAF electric vehicles. They will move food and other products between Wentloog rail terminal outside Cardiff to Tesco’s distribution centre in Magor, Wales, a route of around 30 miles each way.
The lorries will replace around 65,000 diesel-fuelled road miles with clean green energy, removing 87.4 tonnes of CO2e per year. To power the new service FSEW has installed charging points at its site in South Wales that provide enough energy to power these large vehicles for 100 miles before needing to charge again.
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO said: “Tesco’s distribution network is one of the largest in the UK and plays an important role in our efforts to become net zero in our own operations by 2035. We’ve already made progress by starting our switch to electric home delivery vans and rolling out electric vehicles charging points for our customers. I’m excited that Tesco can also lead the way in electric haulage innovation, helping to tackle this last source of road transport emissions with the support of FSEW.”
Geoff Tomlinson, FSEW managing director, said: “This is transformational for the UK’s commercial and retail industries and is just the start of our work to supply electric heavy freight vehicles to customers such as Tesco.”
FSEW also plans to create an eFreight hub in Cardiff which will include a low carbon fuel facility for the use of all freight providers and commercial and municipal operators and is also launching two further trucks running on 100% renewable biomethane fuel for freight transport use.
