Commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN has partnered with UK parcel delivery service DPD to begin customer trials of the all-electric eTGX truck. The vehicle will be tested on a dedicated delivery route from DPD’s Hinckley Hub in the Midlands, the companies said on Wednesday.
The eTGX, which will operate with a standard trailer configuration, is part of MAN Truck & Bus UK’s wider initiative to trial electric trucks under real-world conditions. As part of the collaboration, MAN is providing driver induction and training ahead of deployment.
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“We’re proud to partner with DPD on this important journey towards electrification of their HGV fleet,” said Tracey Perry, Sales Director Truck, Bus & Coach, MAN. “These trials will provide invaluable insights for both companies as we work towards a greener future.”
The duration of the test phase has not been disclosed, nor has DPD indicated whether it plans to expand testing to other routes. However, the trial forms part of what MAN describes as a broader series of e-truck road trials in the UK.
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In addition to the current trial, MAN and DPD are also collaborating on a vehicle configuration optimized for double-decker trailers—an arrangement designed to enhance efficiency by increasing parcel capacity per journey. A tailored vehicle for this use case is expected to be deployed later this year.
“Electric HGVs have the potential to become a viable solution in the future,” said Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability at DPDgroup UK. “We now believe we can get the configuration we need to maintain our double-decker trailer fleet, which has enabled us to reduce the overall number of HGVs we put on the road for many years.”