Tesco powers into the new year with the UK’s first commercial electric articulated HGVs

• Tesco and FSEW’s new service is a first for UK haulage and targets emissions from heavy goods vehicles, which have so far been difficult to address.
• From January, two electric heavy freight articulated trucks will transport products emissions-free between Cardiff and Magor.
• Newly commissioned lorries could play a key role in accelerating the haulage industry’s transition to zero emission transport over the next few years.

Tesco will power into the new year by launching the UK’s first commercially used fully electric heavy freight articulated trucks. Two new 37 tonne DAF electric vehicles will transport food and other products from Wentloog rail terminal outside Cardiff to Tesco’s distribution centre in Magor, Wales, in partnership with logistics and international freight forwarding company FSEW.

Heavy goods vehicles make up around 16 percent of the UK’s domestic transport emissions and addressing this can play a significant role in delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions. Despite significant advances in battery technology and charging infrastructure for smaller vehicles, there hasn’t been a commercially viable solution for electric haulage and distribution until now.

These first two lorries will replace around 65,000 diesel-fuelled road miles with clean green energy, removing 87.4 tonnes of CO2e per year. To power the new service FSEW has installed charging points at its site in South Wales that provide enough energy to power these large vehicles for 100 miles before needing to charge again. At around 30 miles each way the Wentloog - Magor journey is an ideal location to understand the potential and range of these lorries for use throughout the UK and elsewhere in Tesco’s fleet.

By demonstrating that electric HGV transportation is commercially viable, this service will contribute to encouraging wider investment in technology and innovation that will support the haulage sector’s efforts to reduce emissions and air pollution. It will also contribute to Tesco’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions in its own operations by 2035, and FSEW’s work to replace more than 40 diesel vehicles with low-carbon alternatives and switch to fleet-wide zero-emissions transport operations by 2025.

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO said: “Tesco’s distribution network is one of the largest in the UK and plays an important role in our efforts to become net zero in our own operations by 2035. We’ve already made progress by starting our switch to electric home delivery vans and rolling out electric vehicles charging points for our customers. I’m excited that Tesco can also lead the way in electric haulage innovation, helping to tackle this last source of road transport emissions with the support of FSEW.”

Jason Watts, Distribution Centre Manager, Tesco Distribution Centre Magor, said: “We all want to do what we can for the environment so we’re proud that Magor and Wales was chosen to be the first location to use these zero emissions lorries. It’s always exciting to get new kit and we can’t wait to try these lorries out in our busy operation.”

Geoff Tomlinson, FSEW Managing Director said: “This is a landmark day for us here at FSEW, representing a major step forward in our commitment to providing zero emissions transport freight services. Together we are working to create a cleaner and greener logistics experience. This is transformational for the UK’s commercial and retail industries and is just the start of our work to supply electric heavy freight vehicles to customers such as Tesco.”

“Setting the industry standard is important to us which is why we also have plans underway to create an eFreight hub in Cardiff which will include a low carbon fuel facility for the use of all freight providers and commercial and municipal operators and are also launching this month two further trucks running on 100% renewable biomethane fuel for freight transport use.”

Notes 
• FSEW will own and operate the charging infrastructure to support this, and manage the goods arriving by rail to Cardiff on behalf of Tesco.
• Up to 48 cages of goods, made up of predominantly non-chilled food and clothing, will be transported per load.
• Data on the UK’s domestic GHG emissions from the transport sector for 2020 suggest that:

In 2019, cars made up 79% of the road vehicle miles travelled within the UK but produced 55% of transport emissions.

HGVs made up only 5% of vehicle miles but a disproportionately greater contribution to emissions (16%).

(source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021)

About FSEW
FSEW is a logistics and international freight forwarding company which also counts Hoover Candy, Amazon, and Ford amongst its customers. It currently employs c.76 people from is headquarters at Freightliner in Wentloog, Cardiff and has clients in the UK, Europe and around the world. A previous winner of the Wales Fast Growth 50 Award and Tesco Collaborative Haulier of the Year, FSEW has built on this success to drive further significant fast growth, recording 25% increase in sales to £15m in 2020 and forecasts a further 33% growth during 2021.