Argos has put the first of five gas-powered Scania tractor units on the road, which are designed to run solely on compressed or liquefied natural gas.
The remaining four are due to enter the fleet later this month and they will be based at the retailer’s Magna Park DC in Lutterworth, just a few miles from the Gasrec refuelling station at DIRFT, Daventry.
The trucks are plated at 40 tonnes GVW and have Scania’s nine-litre Euro-6 engine, delivering 350hp. They provide a claimed 70% reduction in CO2 emissions comapred with the equivalent diesel-powered truck.
They have an expected range of 450km and will initially run on daily return-to-base operations, however this may change depending on the rate that gas refuelling infrastructure grows across the UK.
The Scanias will be operated as part of the low carbon truck trial launched by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board).
Argos fleet manager David Landy said: "The trucks are a unique manufacturer’s offer, opposed to an aftermarket adaption, which made our purchasing decision easy.
"The research and development process Scania has undertaken in the product, along with a ten-year duty-differential promise from the government, gives us a great deal of confidence in gas powered operation.”
Martin Hay, UK truck sales director for Scania (Great Britain), said: "We are delighted that Argos has become the first UK operator to put our dedicated gas-powered trucks into operation. Today, there are approaching 4,000 gas-powered Scania vehicles in service around the world.”
