The Volta Zero, a large electric truck developed by a hotly tipped Swedish EV start-up for ‘last-mile’ deliveries, will be tested in Central London this summer.
A fleet of the electric trucks will be provided by Swedish firm Volta Trucks to The Crown Estate, one of the largest property owners in the capital’s West End and its distribution firm, Clipper Logistics.
The Crown Estate will use the fleet of Volta Zero, which can carry a payload of up to 8200kg, to make zero-emission deliveries to its portfolio of retail, dining, leisure and residential properties in London’s West End. The firm’s London portfolio covers 10 million sq ft of property, centred around Regent Street and St James’s.
Volta Trucks: how the Swedish start-up is aiming to revolutionise last-mile deliveries
Since 2008 The Crown Estate has worked with Clipper Logistics to consolidate deliveries to its central London sites. Clipper operated a consolidation centre just outside the London Congestion Charge zone, which all deliveries to Crown Estate properties are sent to. The firm then completes the 'last-mile' delivery of those goods, reducing the number of journeys to Regent Street to reduce congestion and carbon emissions. During the trial this summer, those deliveries will be made in Volta Zero trucks.
The Volta Zero can house either a 150kWh or 225kWh battery, which allows for a range of 90-125 miles. Volta says the large size of the machine means a single Zero can replace several smaller vans, helping to reduce congestion in London as well as emissions.
Judith Everett, the head of sustainability for The Crown Estate, said: “This partnership is another important step towards reducing congestion, improving air quality, and making our streets safer and more accessible across the West End.”
The Crown Estate was founded in 1760 by George III, and is a collection of lands and holdings that form ‘the sovereign’s public estate’, meaning they’re not privately owned by the monarch or government properly. It is one of the largest property management firms in the UK, managing properly in central London, rural holding such as the Windsor Estate and the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Profit generated goes to the Treasury.
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I never thought about the seabed being property, assuming thats what you mean not 'managing properly'