Scotland’s first electric heavy-goods vehicle (HGV) has officially hit the road, representing a milestone moment for the country’s transportation industry.
The HGV is owned by whisky producer Chivas Brothers and will be used to transport casks between its bottling plant at Kilmalid near Dumbarton to a warehouse in Beith.
The truck is a Volvo FM Electric 6×2 tractor unit pulling a tri-axle box van trailer.
It can operate at up to 44 tonnes gross vehicle weight.
The truck, which is capable of hauling around 24 tonnes of whisky per journey, will cover between 250-300 miles per day, clocking up at least 62,000 miles per annum.
The first-of-its-kind pilot programme will be managed by McPherson, Chivas Brothers’ long-term haulage partner.
It is predicted that this truck alone will cut Chivas Brothers’ carbon emissions by 155 tonnes per annum.
The pilot is expected to run for an initial two-year period.
Commenting on the scheme, Jean-Etienne Gourgues, chair and CEO of Chivas Brothers, said: “We are a proudly Scottish business and feel a deep responsibility to further the sustainability agenda, not only in whisky but for Scotland at large.
“While it is a true first for both, enabling us to progress towards a sustainable future for Scotch, innovating in electrification stands to benefit industries well beyond our own.”
He added: “We passionately believe that creating the highest-quality whisky should not mean compromising on sustainable and responsible business practice.
“This pilot will show us what is possible through long-term collaboration with partners who recognise the importance of our sustainability vision and remain steadfast in innovating to realise our shared success.”
Neil Park, managing director of Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland, said: “Chivas Brothers and McPherson’s are setting a fantastic example by becoming early-adopters of a new generation of heavy truck which meets the demands from society for dramatic cuts in CO2 emissions.
“It’s our mission to support customers in making the switch to electrification, and we are looking forward to growing this collaboration together.”
Image: Scotland’s first electric HGV, owned by Chivas Brothers. Credit: Chivas Brothers
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