Leeds, UK: Asda is taking delivery of 202 Volvo FH LNG units in the single largest order ever placed in the UK for heavy trucks running on renewable fuels.
The supermarket plans to switch its core fleet of 1,000 tractors from diesel to gas by 2024. In-house trials showed running on biomethane reduced CO2 emissions by over 80%.
The delivery also sees Volvo’s share of Asda’s fleet more than double in size to one third.
Sean Clifton, senior manager – national fleets, Asda, says: “At Asda we like to think big, start small and scale fast – and that’s precisely what we’ve accomplished with this move to biomethane.
“We began with a pair of Volvo FH LNG trial vehicles at our Avonmouth depot in December 2018, which quickly proved to be very capable. A further 49 joined between December 2019 and May 2020; and now this latest order sees an additional 202 Volvos being deployed across five additional sites in our network.”
The latest order comprises 29 4x2s for operation with single-deck trailers, and 173 6x2s which will pull double-decks. The bulk of the new trucks will remain in service until January 2026 – 12 months longer than Asda’s typical replacement cycle for diesel vehicles.
“The higher capital price for gas trucks means it makes sense to run them longer. But having put the Volvos through their paces for two years, we have absolute faith in their ability to go the distance – even in our 24/7 operation, where trucks rarely stop,” Clifton, says.
“Our drivers in Avonmouth have really supported the transition. They love the Volvos and have found that running on gas is smoother and quieter than diesel, and there’s none of the range anxiety you can get with some of the other current alternative fuel options.”
The longest run covered by Asda’s 4x2s is a return trip of 380 miles, which is comfortably achieved with a quarter tank of biomethane remaining. At 44-tonnes, the 6x2s with double-deck trailers are covering up to 350 miles between refills, which fits Asda’s route network. Refuelling is provided by Air Liquide and Gasrec, via a mix of on-site and open-access sites.
The Volvos use small amounts of diesel to initiate ignition of the air-fuel mixture. This enables the Volvo engine to deliver the same 460hp and torque as its diesel-only counterpart, with matching driveability, reliability and service intervals.
The trucks are on Volvo Gold Contracts that include maintenance.
