Two new prototype electric lorries which have been designed to change the way we get home deliveries from our growing online shopping. In the US, Tesla is developing a heavy-duty delivery zero-emission electric delivery lorry called the Semi which it plans to manufacture next year in 2021.
Now a joint UK and Swedish manufacturing partnership called Voltra Trucks have begun developing and testing what it calls the first purpose built electric battery powered urban lorry, which it plans to trial in the first months of 2021, then create new engineering jobs by upping production and rolling out in 2022. Their plans are to cut current toxic emissions for inner city traffic and freight deliveries by having a battery range of up to 125 miles, hence cleaning up the face of urban road transport.
In addition to the Voltra with ‘Zero’ emissions, the driver’s cabin will have a new modern design with a widened class viewing area and a seat positioned right in the middle of the cab to increase a better all-round viewing capacity for motorbikes, cyclists and pedestrians.
Due to the sharp increase in home deliveries during the Covid-19 lock down period and an increase appetite for internet shopping and grocery van deliveries, the race is now on with delivery vehicle manufacturers to either convert existing vans and trucks to run on battery or to design and build new emission-free models to support the campaign for cleaner urban air.
It will be interesting to see how both Voltra and Tesla shape up to the zero-emission traffic cause or if another manufacturer can beat them to be first to the market and clean up on deliveries.
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