Engineering tests on Volta Trucks’ latest prototype, the fully-electric Volta Zero truck, have been completed in collaboration with DPD.
The new 16 tonne vehicle is designed specifically for urban logistics, ‘with vehicle, driver, and pedestrian safety in mind’.
One full charge will allow the vehicle to be driven for 95-125 miles without use of fossil fuels. Volta hopes that this will ‘significantly reduce the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres’.
DPD has been involved in the beta testing of the Volta Zero. With some stages of testing and development still to go, Volta expects to begin customer production of its Zero model in early 2023.
Testing of the prototype took place at DPD’s site in Hinkley, Leicestershire. Although the vehicle was not loaded with parcels, it was tested along a range of pre-determined routes including motorways, dual carriageways, and town centres.
“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” said Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability at DPD, adding: “The Beta Trials are 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”
He continued: “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.”
