The first heavy-duty electric truck to be deployed in East Anglia has arrived at the doors of Bury St Edmunds malt firm Boortmalt.

The 44-tonne Volvo FH Electric 6x2 tractor unit joins the company’s operation via its logistics partner Bartrums and it is projected to yield immediate benefits as it replaces a diesel variant.

Tremayne Johnson, operations manager at Bartrums, said: “The arrival of this fully electric Volvo FH is a significant milestone and is also one of the very first electric articulated bulk vehicles in the UK.

“This is a flagship project both for Bartrums and Boortmalt. The rig will be a spectacular and unmistakable sight on the roads and I’m in no doubt it will significantly raise the sustainability profile of Boortmalt in the UK.”

Equipped with six batteries, the FH Electric offers a range of around 200 miles and can be recharged in 2.5 hours using a 150kW DC charger.

Its green credentials are boosted further by an on-site charger that is powered using excess electricity generated by Boortmalt’s Combined Heat and Power plant – which uses natural gas – at the facility.

Supplied by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South & East, the truck is expected to cover up to 80,000 km annually, predominately delivering Boortmalt’s products to its customers based across East Anglia – including Greene King – before bringing barley back to site.

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