First electric truck by VDL

Tesla’s Semi inspires others to follow suit and it is Dutch VDL and DAF announcing their first electric truck. DAF delivers the base while VDL adds the electric motor and battery pack for what is their first foray into the electric heavy weight class.

VDL has some experience with electrification though as its current line-up includes both electric vans and buses. The e-truck segment is new for the firm from Eindhoven and the launch, initially set this year, has been delayed. Spokesperson Miel Timmers of VDL explains they “first had to fine-tune everything with DAF.” Consequently, details are scarce still but the debut is now planned for early 2018.
The truck has a said range of 120 kilometres, a far cry from Tesla’s 800 km. For the long run, VDL is reportedly working on a hydrogen truck as part of the H2Share EU project.

For their battery-electric model however, VDL has a different use case in mind. It targets the urban market with this e-truck that could thus haul cargo from distribution centres into town. The scenario bases on VDL’s prediction that most metropolises will close their inner sanctum to ICEs soon anyway, thus opening the market for zero emission deliveries.
e52.nl (in Dutch)