Two new VOLVO FH electrics help drive down Fred Sherwood transports carbon footprint

Fred Sherwood Transport has taken delivery of two 44-tonne Volvo FH Electric 6×2 tractor units to improve the sustainability of its operations and help its customers reduce their environmental impact. The business – part of the wider Fred Sherwood Group – will pair the new zero-tailpipe emission trucks with specially-designed walking floor trailers, from Titan Trailers, for waste and recycling operations in and around its main headquarters in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Justin Sherwood, Director at Fred Sherwood Group, says: “We are working hard towards our sustainability ambitions, that’s the reason we have gone down the electric route.

Volvo Trucks are a long and trusted partner to our business, and they have supported us on every step of this process. “These two FH Electrics are exciting additions to our fleet. We have the right routes to make electric work and we are looking forward to seeing how they bed in.

They are already drawing a lot of interest from our customers, who are keen to understand how they can help them to hit their own green targets.” Supplied by Jack Castle, Area Sales Manager at Hartshorne Group, each new FH Electric is equipped with six batteries providing an approximate range of up to 300 km. They are driven via three electric motors, capable of generating 666 hp and 2,400 Nm of continuous torque.

As with customers ordering diesel Volvo FH trucks, the FH Electrics use the standard I-Shift gearbox, which works to deliver a smooth and comfortable driving experience. The FH’s Globetrotter cabs benefit from Drive++ packages to enhance the in-cab working environment, including leather upholstery, dual armrests on both seats, an adjustable steering wheel with neck tilt and an under-bunk mounted 33-litre fridge. The spec also includes Volvo’s Forward Collision Warning with Advanced Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning systems to increase both truck and driver safety.
“The early feedback we’ve had from our drivers has been hugely positive, we have plenty queuing up to drive them that’s for sure,” adds Justin. “It’s very smooth and obviously much quieter than our diesel equivalents.

“Initially we will be looking to get roughly 180 miles from them, doing back-to-base work and charging them overnight at our depot.” Volvo Trucks has supplied two new wall-box AC 43 kW chargers at the Shepshed site, which Fred Sherwood Transport plans to power utilising solar panels it has installed on the
workshop roof – further boosting its environmentally-friendly credentials. The two new trucks are backed by a five-year Volvo Gold Contract which covers all maintenance and repairs, including proactive monitoring of batteries and associated components.

They join a busy fleet of roughly 350 commercial vehicles across the whole of the Fred Sherwood Group.