Clean sweep for HGVs
ELECTRIC HGV manufacturer Electra Commercial Vehicles is powering ahead with its clean air mission for urban centres and the delivery chain, following deals for refuse collection trucks and a hydrogen fuel cell partnership.
The moves put Electra on course for a £96million turnover next year, as it firms up plans for a second factory and expansion of its 35-strong workforce in Blackburn, Lancashire.
An innovative £2.25 million asset financing deal from Aldermore bank with Electra’s sister company NRG Fleet Services underpinned a sevenvehicle delivery, helping the City of London Corporation’s drive to cut air pollution. It follows other deals with councils and their cleansing contractors in the capital, Manchester and Bristol. Brewer and pub chain BrewDog also raised its cool credentials recently by buying a 19-ton, temperature-controlled Electra.
Founded by entrepreneur Sid Sadique in 2017 to find solutions to the growing environmental demands facing the commercial vehicle market, Electra is part of an established transport, rental and maintenance company network he chairs that is pooling its technical and sector expertise to develop innovations and new order pipelines. Central to that has been Electra’s collaborations with HGV giants such as Mercedes Benz and Dennis Eagle. They supply “glider” chassis, which have no engine or gearbox, into which Electra integrates its electric motor using original Tier 1 components. HGVs from 7.5 up to 44 tons are included.
“We make city centre delivery a 100 per cent clean and silent operation,” Sadique explains. “We understand what a truck needs to do every day. Builds meet all standards required for UK roads and criteria for sales in Europe.”
Its markets include construction, delivery and refrigeration but what Electra and its integration technology is achieving is best showcased in refuse collection.
The cart’s slow, stop-start operations result in high emissions and a public health challenge.
“Our trucks are performing way beyond expectation,” says Sadique. “Electrifying such power-hungry vehicles can be challenging, but we can fit well over 300 kWh of power onto a vehicle enabling a full-day’s operation on a single charge.”
Electra is collaborating with fuel cell manufacturer Proton Motor Power on electric-hydrogen powered trucks and also aims to have a purpose-built prototype on the road come December and trials with a major supermarket.
“This will open up sales to operators with more extended range requirements and a quicker transition from fossil fuels,” says Sadique, who is also steering Electra into electric applications for the coach and fire engine markets.
The company’s nimble, micro-manufacturing model makes it a good fit to scale globally and part of that is to send out products in kit form to be electrified.
“It’s an uphill battle,” says Sadique, “but with support we’re changing the industry.”