DAF to supply electric trucks for project in the UK
This initiative is funded by the British government and implemented in partnership with Innovate UK. The “Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator program” is set to run for a period of five years. The declared aim is to support “both the introduction of all-electric long-distance transport and the establishment of a public charging infrastructure for trucks”.
The DAF XD and XF Electric will be used by major operators such as Maritime Transport, Marks & Spencer, Menzies, Royal Mail and Eddie Stobart. However, DAF does not specify how many vehicles are involved. “The funding from the government represents a significant opportunity to demonstrate and promote the use of battery-powered trucks on longer routes and at higher weights,” says David Kiss, Managing Director of DAF Trucks UK.
The XD Electric and XF Electric models have a total towing weight of up to 42 tons, the maximum permissible value for zero-emission combinations with five axles in the UK. Depending on the battery configuration, they offer a range of up to 500 kilometres and can be charged with up to 325 kW. According to DAF, this should make daily distances of up to 1,000 kilometres possible.
The manufacturer presented the two models at the IAA Transportation in autumn 2022 and they have been built in Eindhoven since 2023. The electric trucks have modular drivetrains with electric motors from Paccar that deliver between 170 and 350 kW. As is usual with trucks, both electric trucks are not vehicles on purely electric platforms, but are the electrically powered variants of a series that is also offered with combustion engines. The XD series from DAF is intended for the distribution segment, for which the cab has been equipped with special features such as a “curb view window”. The XF series, on the other hand, is a long-haul truck.
The program follows the completion of the recent Battery Electric Truck Trial (BETT), in which 20 DAF LF Electric vehicles were used for urban distribution by public bodies including the National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities.
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