Electric trucks, try before you buy

Some businesses looking to go zero-emission may wish to rent rather than buy an electric truck in the first instance to see if it fits their duty cycles.

In response, some hire firms are starting to add a few electric models to their portfolios.

Chris Hanley, Scania’s UK head of rental trucks, said: “We’ll have four electric 18-tonners available from January 2023 onwards. Two will have dry freight box bodies and the others will be curtainsiders.

“It’s also worth noting that we already offer vehicles that can run on compressed natural gas as well as diesels that can run on HVO – hydro-treated vegetable oil.”

Dawson Group Truck and Trailer managing director, John Fletcher, said: “We should have electric tractor units on our fleet this year and we’ll be adding electric 7.5- 16-, and 18-tonners during the first half of 2023.”

Jackie Headon, head of UK rental at Fraikin, said: “We’ve got an electric truck that will be going to a customer within the next few weeks. We’re just waiting for them to get charging points installed.“We’re also hoping to have some electric 3.5-tonners arrive before the end of the year.”

Enterprise Flex-E-Rent managing director, Danny Glynn, said: “We’re taking delivery of a small number of electric trucks – 18-tonne fridges and 4x2 tractor units – which we’re going to try out with several customers.

“It’s likely that we’ll get involved with provision of the supporting infrastructure as part of the service.”

MV Commercial sales director, David Patrick, said: “Some of our bigger customers are talking about alternative fuels, but we don’t have anything to offer them at present.

“A lot of small- to medium-sized hauliers are still quite entrenched in diesel however – so enquiries from them are few and far between.”

Read the full Roadway feature on rental in the latest edition of the magazine