Leyland Trucks said it has completed its £5.1 million Zero Emissions Truck Testing Automation (ZETTA) project, enabling the company to expand production capacity for battery-electric trucks under the DAF brand.
The project, supported by the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), was designed to accelerate the country’s transition to zero-emission road transport and strengthen Leyland Trucks’ position in clean commercial vehicle manufacturing. The company, which has been part of Dutch truck maker DAF since 1987, no longer produces vehicles under its own name but builds DAF models, including electric variants.
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“ZETTA has been an important step forward for Leyland Trucks,” said Phil Jones, Managing Director of Leyland Trucks. “By combining advanced automation with our manufacturing expertise, and working closely with our partners, we’ve strengthened our battery electric vehicle (BEV) production capabilities and created a solid foundation to meet future demand.”
Ben Harrison, Senior Project Delivery Lead at APC, said: “The process and facility improvements developed through this collaborative project, supported by a digital twin, has demonstrated technology and capability available within UK-based OEMs and suppliers. The APC and Department for Business and Trade are pleased that the ZETTA project has successfully built on this technology and capability to support assembly of medium-duty BEV at Leyland Trucks as part of the zero-emission transition.”
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As part of ZETTA, Leyland Trucks introduced new assembly lines for electric drive modules and high-voltage battery systems and automated safety processes such as protective conductor testing, leak detection, and main disconnect switch installation. A feasibility study on high-voltage battery pack assembly also set out a roadmap for further expansion.
Leyland Trucks currently manufactures several battery-electric models for DAF, including the CF Electric, the LF Electric distribution truck launched in 2021, and the XB Electric introduced in 2023.