NHS and Unipart Logistics trial eight DAF LF electric trucks in £10m DfT pilot

NHS Supply Chain has launched a 12 month trial of eight 19 tonne DAF LF Electric rigids with refrigerated bodies in partnership with its logistics provider Unipart Logistics.

The trial will see the eight vehicles deliver medical products via a fleet of eight fully electric trucks to depots in Bury St Edmunds, Normanton, Rugby and Alfreton, as part of the DfT's £10m Battery Electric Truck Trial (BETT). The pilot will feed back real time performance data for the zero emission vehicles.

NHS Supply Chain and Unipart Logistics are key operators in the 12-month pilot project which will see 20 DAF LF Electric trucks using pioneering technology entering service with the NHS and local authorities. All the vehicles in the trial feature the distinctive bright green Battery Electric Truck Trial logo.

The BETT focuses on vehicles, charging infrastructure, user training, repair and maintenance, and total cost of ownership, providing operational insight across a variety of duty cycles.

It is part of the Government’s wider £20m zero emission road freight trials and is delivered using the Small Business Research Initiative, a process bringing together government challenges and ideas from business to create innovative solutions.

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Chris Holmes, NHS Supply Chain director of supply chain, said: “It is really exciting to be part of one of the largest and most significant deployments of zero emission heavy goods vehicles in the UK to date. Everything on our zero emission vehicles is electric, even the refrigeration units.

“Driving down our carbon emissions is one of our top priorities and this is just one of the ways we’re supporting the NHS to achieve their net zero target by 2045, which has wide ranging health benefits for us all, not least around air quality.”

Claire Salmon, Unipart Logistics NHS supply chain director, added: “We are excited to be working with our customer NHS Supply Chain to run the Battery Electric Truck Trial, which also supports the Unipart UN Race To Zero commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

"The trial will provide us with valuable insight into operating fully-electric vehicles of this size as part of our fleet, so we can understand how best to facilitate a charging network, driver training and the potential to grow this technology in the future. We are committed to delivering a safe and sustainable service in support of our frontline care customers.”

The results of the trial will be used in an interactive website to help inform future fleet operator buying decisions and help stimulate the sale of battery electric trucks.