First permanent electric lorries join Menzies Distribution’s fleet

By Chris Tindall2026-07-30T15:28:00+01:00

Menzies Distribution Solutions (MDS) has taken on three 42-tonne electric Scania tractor units – the first eHGVs to become a permanent part of its fleet.

The 4x2 45S high-roof units are the first of 10 electric lorries that MDS will deploy through the government’s zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator (ZEHID) programme.

They are operating from its multi-user distribution centre in Wakefield and are supporting retail and FMCG customers on local and regional delivery work. They are expected to cover around 250 miles per shift and will be charged twice within each 24-hour operating cycle.

Adam Purshall, MDS fleet, programme and systems director, said: “This is the next significant step in our decarbonisation strategy.

“We have been exploring alternative fuels such as bio-CNG and HVO for some time, but these are the first battery-electric vehicles to join our fleet and represent our first major move towards electrification.

“The funding has allowed us to make decisions that we might not otherwise have made at this stage,” he added.

The remaining electric lorries MDS will take on are a mixture of DAF and Renaults, enabling it to compare vehicle technologies.

“Our decision to take vehicles from three manufacturers was very deliberate,” Purshall said.

“We want to understand how they perform across different routes and duty cycles and generate the operational evidence needed to make informed decisions about future orders and the role battery-electric trucks can play within our fleet.”

The Scanias are initially being used on work involving predominantly packaging and other relatively lightweight loads.

The Scanias are initially being used on work involving predominantly packaging and other relatively lightweight loads

Chris Tindall

Chris Tindall started writing for the haulage and logistics industry in 2002 and quickly realised there was enough going on to keep him busy for a very long time.View full Profile

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