Tarmac trials first of its kind all-electric tipper truck

Construction materials supplier Tarmac is trialling an all-electric tipper truck as part of its commitment to reach a 30% absolute carbon reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2021 baseline.

Switching to EV power, says Tarmac, helps to reduce emissions and boost air quality in the immediate surroundings, “to the benefit of local people and the environment”.

Looking to source alternatively fuelled HGV vehicles, Tarmac began development of the electric tipper truck in 2022, revisiting a challenge it first identfied more than a decade ago.

The resulting electric tipper is a collaboration with London-based electric truck manufacturer Tevva and vehicle body conversion specialist Brit-Tipp. Significantly Brit-Tipp has already secured type approval, which will significantly speed up the vehicle registration process.

In terms of carbon savings, Tarmac’s analysis shows that assuming a use cycle of 80 miles a day and a consumption of 1.31kw/h, the 7.5-tonne truck is expected to save more than 2.2 tonnes of CO2 per month compared with a diesel model the same size.

The initiative is largely driven by Tarmac being an early signatory of the EV100 initiative, which is a commitment that all cars and vans in its fleet are zero emission by 2030. Last year Tarmac took delivery of the UK’s first all-electric battery ready-mixed concrete truck and the world’s first electric bond-coat sprayer.

The EV tipper truck is being trialled for a period of eight weeks. During this period, Tarmac will evaluate the vehicle’s performance in practical operation as well as its range when loaded, to assess how the benefits of the technology can be maximized going forward.

Jonathan Medforth, national plant and transport manager at Tarmac, said, “This project represents a key milestone towards reaching our sustainability goals and underscores our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations, including our road transport fleet.

“We previously trialled an EV tipper in 2013, but its range and payload was limited due to the technology available at the time. More than a decade on, it’s exciting to see the new innovations that are making these vehicles viable.

“It’s great to be working with Tevva on this initiative. Not only is the tipper truck a zero-emissions vehicle, but it’s also practical and a lot quieter than a diesel alternative, which is another great benefit for our drivers, customers, and the communities we work in.”

Kay Jarvis, business operations director at Tevva, said: “It is enormously exciting to hand over this Tevva tipper – the first of its kind – to Tarmac. This vehicle is our first collaboration in the utilities, construction, and infrastructure sector – a sector that we have prioritized – and we are thrilled to work with a pioneering organisation like Tarmac.