John G Russell (Transport) is trialling hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric lorries as part of a government project to try and accelerate decarbonisation in the sector.
ZENFreight, part of the department for transport’s (DfT) zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, is enabling the haulier to use three MAN eHGVs and three hydrogen electric Scania HFCEVs, which in a 6x2 configuration will be the first of their kind to be trialled in this country.
Russell will also become part of the consortium’s network of depot-based electric charging infrastructure, as well as installing a hydrogen storage and filling solution at its depot in Coatbridge.
Other fleet members include Gregory Distribution, Maritime Transport and DFDS, as well as truck manufacturers DAF, Daimler, Scania, and Volvo.
John G Russell director Graham Russell said: “As latecomers to the project, Russell has taken up the challenge to support the DfT project as it is in line with the company’s goals.
“Our group is committed to sustainable logistics, using innovation and cutting-edge technology to reduce our environmental impact. As a key player in our customers’ supply chains, we take this responsibility seriously.”
All vehicles in the ZENFreight project are set to be on the road by March 2026 with the majority of sites going live during 2025 and will operate for five years as part of the ZEHID demonstration phase, with performance benchmarked against diesel equivalents.
Russell Group has ambitions of reaching net zero by 2040.
