Trucks
Trucks
In the last seven years, there have been more than 3,500 new three-axle dropside trucks registered in the UK. Many spend their days lifting and shifting bricks, blocks, timber and bagged aggregates – and almost all examples have been diesel-powered.
That’s about to change. Nearly every Builders’ Merchant truck operates on a back-to-base cycle, meaning battery electric trucks can be deployed regardless of access to public charging stations, since all charging can be completed at the truck’s own depot.
A detailed simulation conducted this year with a UK Builders’ Merchant found that a Volvo FM Electric configured with four 90 kWh batteries was perfect for a typical 80km local delivery route, factoring in 10 residential drops with full crane utilisation, and including two returns to base to reload. Even after that typical shift, the truck would still have 48 per cent battery remaining and no top-ups were required during the day.
On one of the firm’s longer routes, covering 170.5km, and making seven drops at industrial locations, requiring the crane at each one, would see the truck end its shift with 16 per cent battery remaining. In this scenario, it returned to base to reload just once and factored in a 45-minute top-up charge on a 40kW charger.
Naturally, with a more powerful charger installed at the depot, the fleet would either reduce the time needed for a quick top-up or be able to return the vehicle to a higher state of charge in the same period.
Route capability aside, what also makes Builders’ Merchant fleets perfectly suited to switching to electric right now is the fact that vehicles are invariably operated during the day and parked up overnight.
This means the majority of charging can take place at slower speeds, and when the price of energy is lowest, meaning the potential cost saving over diesel is at its highest.
Electric trucks like the Volvo FM Electric are already proving their worth in real-world Builders’ Merchant operations. Take Joseph Parr (Alco), who, in mid-2024, deployed a Volvo FM Electric 6x2 rigid operating from its Bradford depot.
The truck, funded in part by a grant from Bradford City Council, is helping reduce emissions in the city’s Clean Air Zone while delivering full payloads with zero tailpipe emissions.
Despite the additional weight of the batteries versus an internal combustion engine and a tank of diesel, Joseph Parr's FM Electric even offers a slight payload advantage - a handy benefit, given it typically leaves the depot fully laden.
This is achieved thanks to a change in legislation announced in 2023, which saw the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight (GVW) of certain zero-tailpipe-emission trucks in the UK increased by two tonnes.
The net result is a 26-tonne three-axle rigid battery electric truck which can legally operate at a GVW of up to 28-tonnes, subject to axle design weights.
Electric trucks also thrive in stop/start urban environments, thanks to regenerative braking and low noise levels – a win for both efficiency and community relations.
Just a few years ago, the idea of a heavy truck, loaded with materials, being able to roll up to a residential building site at 7am and unload, without waking the neighbours, was the stuff of fantasy. Today, it’s a reality.
Indeed, battery electric trucks are no longer an ‘alternative fuel’, they are a mainstream choice, offered alongside diesel and natural gas, and proven in service around the world.
They also bring additional advantages which are sure to find favour with fleet managers too. It’s no secret that diesel trucks in this type of application can be prone to the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) needing to be serviced more regularly than normal – given the truck spends so much of its day in slow speed, stop/start traffic, or with the engine running whilst stationery to power the crane. With a battery electric truck, there’s no DPF to worry about, helping to boost uptime. Plus, when the crane’s operating, it’s deriving its power straight from the truck’s traction batteries.
With the focus on decarbonisation, customers are demanding greener supply chains, and builders’ merchants are under increasing pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility with tangible actions.
Beginning the journey of transitioning to electric trucks helps meet carbon reduction targets and aligns with broader industry regulations and clean air initiatives. It also means that fleets can start to earn real-world experience with operating battery electric trucks within their own fleet.
As businesses in other segments have realised, investment in electric trucks can strengthen customer relationships, and help to secure new business, with companies keen to work with a supplier that can deliver their materials with zero tailpipe emissions, and minimal noise.
With grants available from OZEV to support the purchase of electric trucks, the financial case is stronger than ever. These incentives reduce upfront costs and accelerate return on investment – especially when paired with lower running costs.
To explore your options for deploying an electric truck, follow the link at the bottom of this article to register your details with our team. We’ll look through your objectives, needs and routines, and help you turn them into a clean and efficient transport solution that works for your business.
Together, we can also define the best charging setup, and we’re on hand to make sure that you get exactly the right solution to match your requirements for productivity and performance.
With years of experience in electric vehicles and hundreds of battery electric Volvo trucks already powering fleets across the UK and Ireland, we’re not just ready to support your transition – we’re already driving it.
Anthony Cunningham
E-Mob Sales Development Manager
