Marks & Spencer (M&S) is expanding its electric commercial vehicle fleet with the deployment of 10 battery-electric DAF XD trucks across its UK logistics network, including one vehicle equipped with technology that powers a refrigerated trailer directly from the truck’s battery.
Five of the new trucks have already entered service, while the remaining five are expected to begin operating later this year. The additions increase M&S’s electric heavy-duty fleet, which already includes eight battery-electric articulated trucks and five battery-electric rigid vehicles.
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The new DAF XD Electric tractor units are equipped with a 525 kWh battery pack (462 kWh usable) and are designed to operate at gross vehicle weights of 32 to 42 tonnes.
According to M&S, the trucks are expected to deliver daily driving ranges of 250 to 300 miles, depending on payload, route profile and operating conditions. The company said one vehicle has consistently achieved up to 300 miles on a single charge during real-world operations.
One of the trucks features an integrated inverter that converts the vehicle’s high-voltage DC battery power into AC electricity to operate a refrigerated trailer’s cooling system. The setup removes the need for a separate diesel-powered refrigeration engine, making it the first deployment of the technology on a DAF truck in the UK, according to the retailer.
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Supporting Low-Emission Logistics
The inverter system was developed through the eFREIGHT 2030 project under the UK government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) program.
M&S said the technology represents an important step toward fully electrified refrigerated transport operations by reducing emissions from both the truck and trailer.
The electric trucks will be used for regional distribution and food retail logistics on short- and medium-distance routes. Depending on operational requirements, the vehicles will operate on single- and double-shift schedules and are expected to travel approximately 100,000 kilometers per year each.
Group Fleet Manager Mick Pethard said the fleet expansion supports the retailer’s broader decarbonization strategy.
“Adapting our logistics network is vital in achieving our Plan A Net Zero ambitions. We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions from our transport and, through collaboration with Gist and DAF, we are able to trial new technologies, reduce carbon, save energy and drive operational efficiencies across the business.”
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