DSV has revealed that an evaluation is underway of the all-new 16-tonne all-electric medium-duty Volta Zero. The all-electric Volta Zero will be operating last-mile groupage deliveries in London and the Southeast making city centres safer and more sustainable for everyone.
With a battery capacity of 150-225 kWh, depending on specification, the Volta Zero returns a real-world pure electric range of 95–125 miles on a single charge and is anticipated to be operating between the hours of 06.00hrs and 19.00hrs, with overnight charging back at the main depot.
As the first zero-tailpipe emission truck on the DSV fleet, the Volta Zero not only boasts a clear vision for healthier environments, particularly in more populated urban areas but offers vastly improved safety for our drivers and the public. The driver of a Volta Zero sits in a lowered central seating position, with 220 degrees of direct vision and 360 degrees of birds-eye camera visibility. From the central seating position, the driver can enter and exit onto the pavement from either side of the vehicle through sliding doors, making it safer for the operator, passing cyclists and pedestrians.
The Volta Zero has officially achieved a new industry-leading rating for the Direct Vision Standard. With a volumetric score of 32.82m³, the rating for the Volta Zero is the highest ever result of any vehicle tested and 50% higher than the nearest competitor vehicle tested, at 22m³.The Direct Vision Standard (DVS) was created for heavy goods vehicles wanting to travel into and around London. Introduced in 2021, the standard sets minimum requirements for driver vision of commercial vehicles over 12 tonnes if they want to enter the capital city.
“Whilst accelerating our ambitions of a more sustainable future, we are committed to keeping supply chains flowing, recognising this goes hand in hand with our long-term objective to decarbonise logistics.
“As a top three transport and logistics provider, DSV has a strong focus on ensuring responsible and sustainable business practices everywhere we operate. Recognising our role in the industry, we have raised our sustainability ambitions and are committed to reaching net zero emissions across our operations by 2050,” says John Hawksworth, Senior Director for road operation in the Domestic & Distribution.
“We have researched the possibility of facilitating Electric vehicles without impacting service levels for some time and Volta Trucks provided us with the perfect solution. We are delighted to be part of such a significant innovation in the industry and look forward to evaluating the benefits in the coming months. Following the success of the trial, we anticipate expanding our fleet further throughout the UK and beyond.”
Chris Heddle, UK Sales Manager at Volta Trucks, commented; “We are delighted to see the Volta Zero operational on the roads of the UK as part of our Driving Experience Programme, and to see DSV utilising the vehicle for real-world day-to-day deliveries. At Volta Trucks, we are focused on driving towards more sustainable, safer and healthier cities and have a laser focus on accelerating the electrification of the commercial transport sector.”
