Due to be delivered in autumn 2022, the electric mixer will be put to work at Tarmac’s Washwood Heath site in Birmingham, supplying construction materials to customers across the West Midlands.
Tarmac is working with Renault Trucks and Total Vehicle Solutions (TVS) to develop the next generation of mixers, with ambitions for their eventual widespread use across its urban operations. As Tarmac procures 100% of its site electricity from clean energy sources - wind, solar and hydro power only – the new vehicle will operate as a carbon neutral solution.
In addition to making the transition to zero tailpipe emissions, EV mixers reduce noise and vibration, while contributing to improving air quality, particularly when operating in urban areas and low and zero emissions zones.
By utilising telematics information available for its fleet activity, the design team has been able to match the normal delivery profile of a truck to the indicative range of 120km and the power draw from the mixer drum in transit and discharge. The truck will have the ability to fast charge within 1.5-2 hours if needed, and has a 265kWh battery with a guarantee of up to 10 years of operation.
The 26-tonne Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide will come with enhanced safety features, as the batteries provide a lower centre of gravity, improving stability. The speed of the drum rotation is also computer-controlled to optimise energy consumption for loading, unloading and transit of different types of mix.
Andrew Scott, head of electric mobility at Renault Trucks, said that work began on this vehicle as part of their Supplier Innovation Challenge last year. The design of the vehicle has been developed following successful collaboration last year through Tarmac’s Supplier Innovation challenge and Supplier Sustainability Week, which saw suppliers working to find solutions to accelerate the industry’s progress to reach net zero.
Kevin Walker, technical director at TVS, said: “This initial solution uses a hydraulic system, with the full electric drive expected to be released in 2023. The project has proudly been supported by Scottish Enterprise, and the electric concrete mixer will be manufactured in Motherwell, Scotland. TVS and McPhee Mixers have worked hard to develop a more efficient and sustainable mixer solution. This is a significant milestone for TVS and our McPhee Mixer brand.”