FedEx is trying out a new electric tractor in the United Kingdom, as part of a two-week pilot to test the viability of larger EVs for the delivery service in Europe.
FedEx will be using Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ eActros 300 tractor for linehaul operations at the company’s Parkhouse station in Stoke on Trent. It will pull an existing FedEx trailer, and move larger shipments to delivery hubs across the U.K. It will recharge at the Parkhouse station when it’s not in use.
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“Taking opportunities to test a variety of solutions in different geographical and operational circumstances is a critical part of evaluating solutions as they emerge on the market,” FedEx fleet maintenance manager Louise Whitehouse said. “This two-week test presents an opportunity to gain welcome hands-on experience using new technologies in heavier vehicle types and build a better picture of how such a vehicle and solution could be applied in linehaul operations in Europe.”
This comes after FedEx trialed the eActros 300 for two weeks as a rigid truck in Eindhoven, Netherlands in May. The company has also started using EVs to pick up and deliver packages in the U.K., Netherlands, Spain and France.
