Rossendale, UK: Solomon Commercials has bodied an Electra Commercial Vehicles’ 19-tonne hydrogen-powered truck, for Sainsbury’s, the first of its kind to go into operation in the UK.
Sainsbury’s is trialling the Electra E-Cargo as part of the Road to Hydrogen – a UK government-funded project linked to the Teesside Multi-Modal Transport Hydrogen Hub.
Ben Smith, managing director, Electra Commercial Vehicles, said: “We have created this 19-tonne truck with four type-three cylinders providing it with a capacity of 20kg of hydrogen at 350bar.
The vehicle will have an operating timescale of 9 to 10 hours and can be double shifted. “It’s an example of genuine innovation that will help operators transition to authentic zero-emission transport,” Smith said.
Anthony Clegg, sales director, Solomon Commercials, said: “Our business has been built on innovation, and this is a natural step for us to work on UK firsts projects, which help push our industry forward. It’s a fantastic example of innovation in UK manufacturing.”
Solomon Commercials, which has supplied Sainsbury’s with bodies for some years, used its Slipstream design for the body.
A Carrier Iceland fridge, powered by hydrogen with an inverter, provides cooling.
