IJ McGill Transport to trial electric trucks as part of eFREIGHT 2030

IJ McGill Transport has joined the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, which aims to accelerate the use of zero emission HGVs.

eFREIGHT 2030, part of the UK government's Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator Programme (ZEHID), is introducing 100 electric HGV tractor units and 32 new charging locations over a multi-year real world evaluation that will pave the way for zero emission transport.

As part of eFREIGHT 2030, IJ McGill Transport will add three DAF electric vehicles to its existing fleet of approximately 130 vehicles which includes a versatile mix of 40-tonne and 44-tonne tractor units, rigid trucks (ranging from 7.5 tonne to 18 tonne), 3.5 tonne vans, and a variety of trailers, including straight frame, double-deck, and urban configurations. 

The company will also install charging infrastructure at three of its five depots, including a Voltempo UK manufactured megawatt HyperCharger at its Bristol site and 240-kilowatt chargers at its Tavistock and West Bromwich locations.

Heather Brown, Operations Director at IJ McGill Transport, explained: "Our charging strategy will primarily focus on depot-based charging, utilising the downtime between routes. The megawatt HyperCharger at our Bristol site will be able to charge a vehicle in approximately an hour, while our 240-kilowatt chargers will take around 90 minutes. We'll be charging vehicles during two key windows – early morning when trucks return from overnight trunking operations between 3-4am, and again in the early evening between 5-7pm before they go out for night work.”

The new electric vehicles, which are being purchased through IJ McGill Transport's local dealer, Motus Commercials DAF Avonmouth, will be used for both daytime distribution and overnight trunk routes. This will maximise vehicle utilisation while taking advantage of charging opportunities during vehicle downtime.

Heather commented: "Joining the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium represents an exciting step in our sustainability journey. As a family business that's always looked towards the future, introducing electric vehicles allows us to reduce our environmental impact while future-proofing our operations. The consortium's financial support and shared learning opportunities make this transition more accessible for a company of our size."

As part of the consortium, IJ McGill Transport will benefit from the shared knowledge and experience of other consortium members who are already operating electric HGVs, while contributing valuable operational data from an SME, back to the programme over the five-year project period to help shape the future of zero-emission freight transport in the UK.