The design verification prototype vehicle was based at the firm’s Hinckley Superhub in Leicestershire. DPD’s drivers were accompanied by Volta Trucks engineers and qualified drivers and, while no parcels were onboard, the truck was tested on a range of pre-determined routes including motorways, A-roads and urban centres.
The beta trials are part of Volta’s test and development programme and a key step towards the start of customer production in early 2023.
The Volta Zero is a full-electric 16-tonne vehicle designed for urban logistics and offers an operating pure-electric range of 95-125 miles.
Olly Craughan, head of sustainability, DPD, commented: “It was fantastic to get our hands on a Volta Zero and put it through its paces, with our own drivers alongside Volta Trucks’ engineers. We had the truck for five days and it is very impressive. The beta trials are an opportunity for us to test the vehicle first-hand, while helping Volta Trucks see exactly how it performs in real-life scenarios and on typical routes.
“Working with the Volta Trucks team in the cab gave us a great insight into what they are doing and how the truck could fit into the fleet. Increasingly we are operating in low or zero-emission zones in major cities, so with micro-depots and all-electric city centre van fleets we have already transformed our urban delivery strategy. But there is a real need for bigger, green vehicles that can fit into that strategy.”