The London Borough of Westminster claims to be the first local authority to run an electric-powered Smith Newton 7.5-tonne tipper. It will be used to transport paving slabs and other materials for Westminster's highway maintenance and street lighting work.
Powered by four 278V nickel-chloride batteries and a 120kW electric motor, giving it a top speed of 50mph and a range of 130 miles, the truck can be charged direct from any standard three-pin socket, including the council's 48 carpark
charge points and 12 on-street charging points.
It is operated by Transerv, a joint venture partnership consisting of Balfour Beatty and Mouchel Parkman. The Smith Newton has a payload of around three tonnes, costs £75,000 and is on a two-year trial to test its capabilities and running costs against existing diesel-powered vehicles.
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