British-made electric trucks approved; mass production begins

The formal approval means that Tevva can now start producing and selling its trucks in volume across the UK and Europe. It also represents the key regulatory step in the development and commercialisation of all Tevva vehicles, including electric trucks.

Tevva has become the first British company to receive EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval for a 7.5-tonne electric truck and is now gearing up to get its first vehicles out to customers. 

The company’s first mass-produced electric trucks have started to be delivered from its UK base and to its customers, including Expect Distribution, Travis Perkins and Royal Mail. Tevva expects to sell up to 1,000 electric trucks in 2023.

Asher Bennett, Tevva founder and CEO, said: “We continue to ‘charge on’ as a company and reach new milestones, with type approval being the latest and most important landmark we’ve achieved to date. I am incredibly proud of our team who have worked tirelessly to secure this certification and get our 7.5-tonne electric truck in customers’ hands and on the roads.

“We are on a mission to make sustainable trucks accessible at scale and believe our technology will empower the transport sector and the governments of Europe to meet their net-zero goals. By embracing both hydrogen and electric fuel sources, we can rethink the energy mix in transport, reduce strain on our electricity grid and accelerate electric truck adoption.”

The essential certification has been achieved for the EU and UK with the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) and the Swedish Transport Agency (STA). To receive whole vehicle type approval, the Tevva electric truck underwent 30 system tests, including electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility.

Tevva’s 7.5-tonne electric truck offers up to 140 miles (225km) from its 105kWh battery on a single charge and is well-suited for use as part of last-mile and urban delivery fleets. The debut truck will be followed in 2023 by a 7.5-tonne hydrogen-electric truck, which benefits from a hydrogen range-extender that enhances vehicle range to up to 354 miles (570km). Full technical details for both truck models are available online.

Tevva defines itself as a hydrogen-electric truck company, specialising in zero-emission medium to heavy-duty trucks. Its hydrogen fuel-cell range extension technology allows its vehicles to do all the work of a traditional diesel engine, only with significantly less environmental impact.