Calor takes on zero-emission FUSO eCanter for London deliveries

Gas supplier Calor has taken delivery of an electric FUSO eCanter to deliver its bottled butane and propane to customers in central London.
 
The truck is based at Calor’s depot in Wandsworth, south-west London, and spends much of its time working inside the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
 
The company’s National Vehicle Engineering Manager Alan Harrison said: “At Calor we like to move quickly to adopt any new technology that can help our business. The FUSO eCanter is a perfect example – it reduces the impact of our operations on the environment, while also making sound financial sense.”
 
The FUSO light truck range is sold and supported by Mercedes-Benz Trucks in Great Britain. It has a body and payload allowance of up to 4.5 tonnes and has an electric drivetrain with permanent-magnet motor employs six 420 V and 13.8 kWh lithium-ion batteries, and delivers 129 kW (180 hp) via a single-gear transmission in the rear axle.
 
“Electric power is a new departure for us, so of course we’ll be monitoring the truck very closely,” continued Mr Harrison. “The environmental benefits are clear, but we are also expecting the eCanter to prove highly economical in terms of its total cost of operation. The early signs are certainly promising.”
 
A single charge gives the eCanter an effective operating range of more than 62 miles (100 km), which is ample for many urban delivery applications. Calor’s vehicle typically covers 30 miles a day, and its batteries are replenished overnight at a recharging point in the depot.
 
Wandsworth Site Leader David Moreno said: “It’s a great vehicle and well suited to this application. The two drivers who have used it so far have responded positively, saying it’s very easy to use.”