Manchester, United Kingdom
Logistics Transport in the United Kingdom
The pilot, operated by DAF UK, is testing two 19-ton DAF XB electric trucks with a 282kWh installed capacity over 6 months in the daily operations of the logistics company Turners of Soham. The pilot, which started in March 2026, provides data regarding operational variables and the impact that they have on vehicle performance, such as driving style, vehicle load weight, geographical topography, temperature and other parameters.
Key Objectives of the Pilot Project
Extended Range Performance
Demonstrate 200km+ range with upgraded battery, higher power and energy density cell chemistry.
Adaptive Battery Control
Develop adaptive battery control strategy with over-the-air (OTA) software update and control capability for SoC management, preconditioning, and energy management.
Eco-Driving Powertrain Control
Integrate adaptive powertrain control / eco-driving strategy development
Thermal Efficiency Optimisation
10% efficiency improvement: optimised battery thermal model, reduced thermal load on heating and cooling systems, waste heat recovery from HV/e-powertrain components
High-Efficiency Traction Motor
Switched reluctance traction motor; high efficiency across wider speed range compared to existing motor technology
Payload Capacity Retention
Load capacity; not less than 90% of the current vehicle
Digital Twin & Real-Time Data
Digital twin and cloud-connected VCU to provide real-time vehicle-level data for validation and optimisation of digital twin model
Advanced Fleet Management
Advanced fleet management tools; mission profiling, load management, charge management, vehicle diagnostics and battery prognostics capability via digital twin
Fast Charging Capability
Demonstration of fast charging concepts; DC charging capability
A new phase of real-world testing is now underway
The two pilot trucks started operation in March 2026 and will operate until the end of the project in September 2026.
Both trucks are the first electric trucks into the fleet of Turners, and their operating depots (Matthew Kibbles Transport & Shakespeare Transport).
“We are keen to explore the key factors to accelerating adoption to electric HGVs, and are fully focused on supporting efforts to accelerate this adoption”
Louis Jones, Pilot Leader
EV & Connected Services Director, DAF Trucks
NextETRUCK Innovations
Thermal Management
Improved thermal management modelling
Digital Twin Technology
Digital twin technology and fleet management tools
Modular Electric Platform
Electric powertrain-based lightweight, modular platform enabling increased payload compared to current ICE trucks and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO).
Charging Infrastructure
DC overnight charging infrastructure and deployment strategy
Collaborating Partners and Defined Roles
Overview of the DAF UK Electric Truck
IRIZAR has upgraded its existing 20t BEV rigid truck, featuring innovations aimed at improving energy efficiency, range, and overall system performance. Explore more details about the IRIZAR truck using the sections below.
Other Specs
Energy Use: 1.3 kWh/km
Baseline charger: 50kW DC, 3h
Motor: 230 kW Permanent Magnet
Key Upgrades
HVAC & Thermal Systems: Unified HVAC and battery thermal management system for improved efficiency.
Next-Gen Batteries: Lighter GEN3 batteries with higher energy density.
Powertrain Enhancements Improved motor design, simplified components, and better system efficiency.
Charging Specs
Charging requirements: DC overnight charging
Charging infrastructure: JEMA CCS2 charging (180KW DC)
Charge management: Cloud-based software solution for charge planning and shifts scheduling.
PANION collects data from telemetry providers and on-site chargers to optimise charging plans, considering external constraints and insights like electricity prices, or available power capacity. It supervises execution in real time, dynamically adjusting as needed, ensuring vehicle readiness, enhancing operational efficiency in unpredictable conditions and reducing TCO.
Daily operational routes will vary, while the geographical scope will remain North-West England, including dense urban areas with significant commercial activity, such as Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. The two trucks are expected to drive XYZ km daily, while being charged at the depot/logistics hub.