Ringway Hounslow Highways has taken delivery of the UK highways sector’s first 26-tonne Volvo FE Electric 6x2 rigid truck, featuring a tipper grab body and low entry cab.
The Ringway Volvo FE Electric replaces a similar-sized diesel vehicle in its Hounslow fleet, working on various highway and street service works.
It is expected to operate up to seven days a week and complete more than 30,000km a year.
Ringway undertakes routine, reactive and cyclical highway maintenance for the London Borough of Hounslow, covering 451km of local roads, 45 bridges and highway structures, 16,000 streetlights and 16,000 drainage assets.
Ringway managing director Mitesh Solanki said: “With sustainability becoming more and more important in our sector, we are eager to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles throughout our business. Having assessed the options on the market, we quickly concluded that a bespoke build would offer us the most flexibility. The Volvo FE Electric provided an ideal platform to create a first-of-its-kind vehicle in the UK and yet again lead the way to continue our transition from diesel fuel.
“Working within London’s ultra-low emissions zone, we’re fully confident the rigid will not just meet, but exceed Hounslow Highway’s expectations, delivering practical and environmentally conscious operational performance with absolutely zero tailpipe emissions. This forms part of Ringway’s commitment to support Hounslow Highways with its green agenda and aspirations to improve air quality, encourage biodiversity and green spaces, and applying innovations to reduce carbon impact.”
The bespoke body was built by Thompsons, complete with Palfinger Epsilon M135L grab crane.
To comply with London’s direct vision standard (DVS) requirements, the vehicle has an FE low entry cab, bus-style doors and an array of cameras.
Ringway has also become the first UK company to place an order for a right-hand drive version of Volvo’s new FM Low Entry all-electric truck.
Ringway acknowledged that the 26-tonne Volvo FE Electric was considerably more expensive than any diesel alternative. "The expected whole life cost for its planned usage is around 32% more than an equivalent diesel vehicle over eight years," a spokesperson said, adding: "It is very much an environmental initiative and trial of a large electric truck on demanding highway maintenance operations."
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