Tevva's commercial EV range is second to no other e-truck

There are multiple ways to exchange fossil fuels for sustainable power solutions.

Despite this, the question isn’t about which one of these sustainable solutions works best, but more along the lines of how vehicles can become as sustainable as possible. This is particularly important when looking at logistics, which includes supplying vehicles that withstand high-intensity useage throughout their lifecycles, while ensuring no harm to the environment in their making and operation. 

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to electrification globally, but industries must determine the best solutions for their operations. In the logistics sectors, companies are also reluctant to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) due to a few factors, including range, cost, and sustainable credentials.

Medium- and heavy-duty EV maker Tevva presents a solution to range that, happily, doesn’t compromise on emissions, while also making sustainable transport open to more customers. Questioning the company’s Founder and CEO, Asher Bennett, on the viability of electrification for the industry, reveals that, for medium-duty vehicles, it's going to happen one way or another. 

“The electrification of medium-duty trucks is inevitable, charging infrastructure is a key part of the transition away from diesel,” says Bennett. 

“Clearly, public infrastructure has a long way to go—though there are positive signs amid the considerable investments being made by governments around the world to accelerate the roll out of charging infrastructure.”  

The approach that Tevva takes to achieve a widespread use of more sustainable vehicles seems to involve leveraging legacy infrastructure during the period in which new, smart charging solutions are catching up to the demand of EVs. 

“Tevva has designed its electric trucks so they can be recharged at a three-pin plug socket, the same as a smartphone. Not having to rely on high-speed charging infrastructure helps with early adoption and gives us comfort that charging infrastructure is ready for our trucks,” says Bennett. 

The stunned looks on the faces of charging providers won’t be there long when they discover a critical piece of information: hydrogen. An added bonus offered by the company is the hydrogen system installation for those customers needing the extra mileage to help business run smoothly. 

“There’s a huge appetite for electric trucks” 

Much to the company’s delight, the response to electrification has been “huge”.

The desire to shift makes Tevva’s work that much more worthwhile, particularly when testing and validating the reinvented version of supply chain transport. 

“Tevva is looking to scale up customer sales of its 7.5-tonne battery-electric truck from early 2023—first across the UK, then Europe. The truck will be followed by a hydrogen-electric version, which benefits from a hydrogen range-extender that enhances range from 180 km to over 400 km,” says Bennett. 

This extended version of electric trucks caters to those with a thirst for change or, as Bennett refers to it, “a huge appetite among fleet operators for electric trucks, as the opportunity to reduce emissions makes good business sense”. 

Organisations are therefore coming round to the idea that technology is their friend and alternative transportation methods are critical for meeting climate goals. The varying factor for logistics firms is cost and whether manufacturers of electric trucks can meet their requirements—or even save them money. 

From a sustainability perspective, technology is enabling great strides to be taken as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) improve the energy usage of vehicles, as well as their safety credentials and the driver’s trucking experience. 

“We’re exploring some interesting ADAS applications and believe we can deliver operational efficiencies for our customers, in a cost-effective way, in the short-to-medium term,” says Bennett. 

“Autonomous technologies, like EV technologies, must make economic sense if they are to become mainstream—and this is a key focus at Tevva.”