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Three UK hauliers are buying or leasing electric trucks after Project JOLT trials let them test vehicle range, payload capacity and running costs on their own routes. The commitments include 10 new MAN trucks for DP World, two MAN vehicles for Howard Tenens and a two-year lease of a Volvo truck for Port Express.
Three UK hauliers are investing in electric heavy goods vehicles after testing them through Project JOLT, a research programme that evaluated trucks on operators’ own freight routes. DP World, Howard Tenens and Port Express have selected vehicles for different operations, providing evidence that route-specific trials can help businesses judge whether electric trucks suit their work.
DP World’s logistics division has acquired two MAN eTGX electric tractor units and ordered eight more. The new vehicles will join three electric trucks already operating from its Bicester depot. When all 10 new trucks are in service, electric vehicles are expected to make up 13 of the depot’s 37 trucks. DP World says seven of the 11 destinations served from Bicester are within range of the MAN vehicles.
Howard Tenens has ordered one MAN eTGX tractor unit and one eTGS rigid truck. The company plans to use its own renewable electricity generation to power them. Port Express, based in Felixstowe, has agreed to lease a Volvo FH electric tractor unit for two years. It is intended for a regular shuttle route to Milton Keynes, serving a retail customer seeking to reduce its Scope 3 emissions.
Project JOLT is led by Professor David Cebon and the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight. The programme brings together two universities, 15 fleet operators and five truck manufacturers, alongside three organisations providing project management and software support. Its research examines factors including battery efficiency and vehicle range. The report says trials allowed participating hauliers to assess range, payload and running costs using their own routes and freight requirements.
Route Trials Shape Fleet Decisions
The commitments show how operational evidence from real routes can influence purchasing decisions in freight, where a truck must meet delivery schedules and carry its required load as well as offer lower emissions. Rather than relying only on general vehicle specifications, the participating firms could test electric trucks against their own routes and operating patterns.
Project JOLT reports that operators could save about £0.21 per kilometre in fuel costs by switching from diesel to electric trucks, based on current fuel prices. That is a project finding, not a guaranteed saving for every fleet: actual costs depend on a company’s routes, energy prices, vehicle use and charging arrangements. Howard Tenens’ plan to use its own renewable generation is one example of how an operator may seek to improve the economics.
The deployments also have potential emissions implications. Port Express says the vehicle will serve a customer seeking to lower its Scope 3 emissions, which are indirect emissions in a company’s value chain. The source does not give projected emissions reductions for the three operators, so the scale of any impact is not yet established.
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From Trials to Truck Orders
Project JOLT was designed to investigate the economic and operational viability of electric HGVs in commercial freight. Its work includes studying battery efficiency and range, while trials give operators the chance to consider whether specific vehicles can handle their payloads and destinations. The latest orders and lease follow that testing; they do not mean that every route or fleet is suited to battery-electric trucks.
DP World has also supported trials through its Low Carbon Truck Programme. In June, it expanded that effort with the Electric Vehicle Introduction and Transition Accelerator, or EVITA, which offered participating businesses access to electric HGVs for periods of up to 12 weeks. DP World said the programme was intended to help members compare electric trucks with diesel vehicles across their own routes and supply chains.
The three businesses have made different commitments: DP World has acquired and ordered vehicles, Howard Tenens has ordered two trucks, and Port Express has agreed to a two-year lease. Those distinctions matter because the source describes a mix of completed acquisitions, orders and a lease rather than three identical purchases.
““help members understand how electric HGVs perform across their own routes and supply chains in comparison to traditional diesel trucks””
— DP World, describing the aim of its EVITA programme in June
Deployment and Savings Still Unclear
The source does not state when all ordered vehicles will enter service, how the trucks will be charged across their operating schedules, or what infrastructure changes may be needed. It also gives no purchase prices, lease costs or total-cost-of-ownership comparisons for the three hauliers.
The reported £0.21 per kilometre fuel-cost saving is based on current fuel prices, but the source does not specify the calculation period or provide a detailed breakdown of assumptions. It is not clear how the reported figure accounts for electricity tariffs, charging equipment, maintenance, financing or differences between routes. Projected emissions reductions and the vehicles’ performance after sustained commercial use are also not provided.
DP World says seven of 11 destinations from Bicester are within range of the MAN trucks, but the report does not give the distances, payloads or operating conditions behind that assessment. The specific retail customer served by Port Express is not named.
Orders Move Into Fleet Service
The next practical test will be how the trucks perform once deployed in regular operations. DP World’s 10 new MAN vehicles are expected to join the three already at Bicester; the report does not provide a delivery timetable. Howard Tenens will put its two ordered vehicles to work using electricity from its renewable generation, while Port Express is set to operate its leased Volvo on the Milton Keynes shuttle.
As the vehicles enter service, operating data could show whether the trial findings hold under routine freight conditions, including actual range, payload capacity and running costs. The source does not announce a date for a further Project JOLT results update or provide a schedule for publication of performance data.
Key Questions
Which hauliers are investing in electric trucks?
DP World, Howard Tenens and Port Express are committing to electric trucks after taking part in Project JOLT trials.
What vehicles have the companies selected?
DP World acquired two MAN eTGX tractor units and ordered eight more. Howard Tenens ordered a MAN eTGX tractor unit and an eTGS rigid truck. Port Express agreed to a two-year lease for a Volvo FH electric tractor unit.
What did Project JOLT test?
The research programme examines electric HGV performance, including battery efficiency and vehicle range. Its trials also let hauliers assess range, payload capacity and running costs on their own routes.
How much could operators save on fuel?
Project JOLT reports potential fuel-cost savings of about £0.21 per kilometre compared with diesel, based on current fuel prices. The report does not provide a detailed calculation or establish that every operator will achieve that saving.
When will the new trucks be in service?
The source does not give delivery or deployment dates for the orders. DP World’s new trucks are expected to join its existing electric fleet at Bicester, while Port Express has agreed to a two-year lease for its Volvo.
Source: electrive.com
