Daimler starts delivering electric trucks in the UK

Daimler is moving ahead with its electric truck programs and it is now expanding its range of first deliveries to customers for the Fuso eCanter electric truck.

This week, the German automaker confirmed the first deliveries in the UK are now happening.

After starting delivery in the US last year and then in Germany a few months back, Daimler confirmed that a handful of customers have now received the vehicle this week.

As part of Daimler’s open test program, the first nine trucks went to the courier service DPD, the logistics company Wincanton and the baked goods manufacturer Hovis.

Each of those companies operate important truck fleets and if the tests are successful, they could quickly electrify their fleet for urban and short routes as soon as the vehicle goes into volume production, which is expected in 2020.

As we previously reported, the FUSO eCanter is meant for urban routes with a range of only 100 kilometers (62 miles) and a load capacity up to three and a half tons – depending on body and usage. The vehicle is powered by an electric powertrain with six high voltage lithium ion battery packs with 420 V and 13.8 kWh each for a total of ~83 kWh of capacity.

The test program will reach 500 trucks over the next few years with small batch deliveries to customers like these until they reach volume production.

It’s one of several electric truck programs from Daimler. They are also working on the bigger all-electric eTruck, which has a 26 ton capacity, a massive 212 kWh battery pack, and ~125 miles of range [Gallery].

The range is still limited compared to what Tesla is working on with its ‘Tesla Semi’ program, but the eTruck would be aimed at shorter routes with a higher load capacity than the Fuso eCanter.