Tarmac trials all-electric tipper truck

Building materials and construction solutions provider Tarmac is trialling an all-electric tipper truck. 

With a commitment to reach a 30% absolute reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2021 baseline, decarbonising operational equipment and plant is part of the company’s roadmap to net zero.

Working with London-based electric truck manufacturer Tevva alongside Brit-Tipp – which completed this first electric tipper body integration – Tarmac began development of the electric tipper truck in 2022 as it looked to source alternatively fuelled HGV vehicles. 

As a result of this collaboration, Brit-Tipp has successfully secured type approval for all bodies on the Tevva chassis, significantly speeding up the vehicle registration process. 

Switching to EV power helps to reduce emissions and boost air quality in the immediate surroundings to the benefit of local people and the environment.

Assuming a use cycle of 80 miles a day (2,500 miles a month) and a consumption of 1.31kw/hour, the 7.5 tonne Tevva electric tipper truck is expected to save more than 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ per month compared to a diesel model the same size.

Tarmac was an early signatory of the EV100 initiative, committing that all cars and vans in its fleet would be zero emission by 2030. 

The EV tipper represents the latest part of this commitment, having last year brought the UK’s first all-electric battery ready mix concrete truck into operation as well as the world’s first electric bond coat sprayer.

The EV tipper truck is being trialled by Tarmac for a period of eight weeks. 

During this period, the business will evaluate the vehicle’s performance in practical operation as well as its range when loaded to assess how the benefits of the technology can be maximised going forward.

Jonathan Medforth, national plant and transport manager at Tarmac, said: “This project represents a key milestone towards reaching our sustainability goals and underscores our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations including our road transport fleet.

“We previously trialled an EV tipper in 2013, but its range and payload was limiting due to the availability of technology at the time. More than a decade on it’s exciting to see the new innovations that are making these vehicles viable.

“It’s great to be working with Tevva on this initiative. Not only is the tipper truck a zero emissions vehicle, but it’s also practical and a lot quieter than a diesel alternative which is another great benefit for our drivers, customers and the communities we work in.”