Solomon Commercials was appointed to create a body for the fleet to maximise 15kW of electric power take-offs (ePTO) onboard power to cool food products goods while on delivery runs.
A second 12V e-PTO provides low-voltage power for additional cooling from the GAH Transport Refrigeration fridge, creating a self-sustaining, zero-emissions vehicle.
The landmark vehicle, an all-electric IVECO eDaily, will join the Tesco delivery fleet as the supermarket continues its decarbonisation mission.
The new IVECO eDaily makes up part of the 571 electric home delivery vans Tesco has deployed and uses an innovative modular battery setup to optimise payload and range.
These two-battery vehicles can rapidly charge at 80kW, adding 62 miles of range in just 30 minutes, while a 22kW onboard charger enables Tesco to maximise charging from AC chargers at local stores.
Rob Smallwood, Fleet Manager at Tesco, said: “We’ve committed to moving towards a fully electric home delivery fleet across the UK by 2030. Taking delivery of IVECO’s 1,800,000th eDaily will help us reach our commitment to be carbon neutral in our operations by 2035.”
Mike Cutts, Iveco’s business line director in the UK and Ireland, added: “This is a fantastic achievement for Iveco Daily, and one that highlights how this mission-focused vehicle is delivering for its operators. Tesco has been a longstanding Daily customer, with a new fleet of eDaily providing the same mission capability without compromise.”
Anthony Clegg, managing director of Solomon Commercials, concluded, “We’re extremely proud of working on this project and helping the team at IVECO deliver an innovative vehicle for Tesco that will help the supermarket reach its decarbonisation plans. Electric refrigerated vehicles are becoming a staple addition to fleets, particularly for urban environments, and we see this trend continuing.”
Known as the home of the IVECO Daily, the Suzzara facility has gained a reputation for excellence in light vehicle manufacturing. This pioneering vehicle has continuously reinvented itself, introducing groundbreaking innovations and industry-firsts.
