Middlesbrough-based haulage company AV Dawson Transport, part of AV Dawson Group, has undertaken a pilot of a fully electric heavy goods vehicle (HGV) as part of its net zero efforts.
The pilot, which was completed in partnership with e-fleet solutions provider VEV, saw a 42-tonne, fully electric HGV complete over 1,800 miles (2,896.8 km) over 42 journeys, which resulted in a reduction in emissions of 2.3 tonnes from a single vehicle in 10 days.
Not only able to reduce AV Dawson Transport’s carbon emissions, investing in electric HGVs also allows the company’s customers to reduce scope 3 carbon emissions – those which refer to indirect greenhouse gases (GHGs) released within a company’s wider supply chain, as opposed to those directly produced by the company itself.
“We realise that as a haulage business, we have a considerable challenge ahead when it comes to our net zero journey and have explored a number of alternative fuel solutions over the last 12 months, including compressed natural gas (CNG),” said Paul Scott, head of operations at AV Dawson Transport. “The team and I know we need to get ahead of the curve and need to think innovatively in terms of how we can tackle this issue and work closely with our customers on how we can do this effectively for both parties.”
Around 40 percent of transport emissions in the Northeast of England can be attributed to HGVs supplying the region’s major industries, which includes steel and automotive manufacturers.
“Our road haulage fleet represents over 80 percent of our group’s direct carbon emissions, so it’s very important to focus our efforts on this challenge. The electric HGV trial has been an important step forward in this and the results look promising,” added Jon Booth, head of sustainability at AV Dawson.
VEV is looking to speed up the transition to electric transport for commercial fleets through the provision of an end-to-end solutions that unites electric vehicles and charging with energy infrastructure and supply, with trials and consultancy support part of this.
