Don’t expect your grain to be collected by an electric artic any time soon, according to truck manufacturers attending the recent SMMT Day at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire.
A major stumbling block is the resulting drop in payload, down from the 29t of a typical diesel 6×2 tractor unit and triaxle trailer combination to 26-27t for the electric equivalent, all due to the electrically powered tractor unit’s bulky batteries. Both diesel and electric trucks in this 6×2 axle configuration share the same maximum gross weight of 44t in the UK. Critically, any drop in payload has massive implications for hauliers, and ultimately there’ll be cost implications for their farming customers, too.
“We’re asking the Government to increase the gross limit of 44t up to 48t for electrically powered 6×2 trucks, though we’d settle for 46t to give us payload parity with the diesel equivalent,” said Phil Moon, of Daf Trucks. “We’re currently only at the discussions stage with Highways England and the Department for Transport, but we’re seeking to progress this dialogue to a formal consultation.”
Of course, there are several other barriers to seeing a greater number of electric heavy trucks rumbling up farm drives. The capital investment for an electric truck is double that of its diesel counterpart, and the national infrastructure for charging when away from base is substantially behind cars’ — clearly a major issue for trucks that might be on the road all week. That said, the situation is improving, albeit slowly.
A typical example of the new breed of 44t electric tractor unit is the pictured Mercedes Benz EActros 600. With a peak output of 600kW and a range of more than 500km, the 600 will be capable of a 20% to 80% recharge in just 30mins once Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) are fully developed.
Note: Sales of electric HGVs account for just 1.4% of the 6t+ UK market. Electric car sales, in comparison, are at 23.4%.
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