Cenex, the UK¡¯s national ¡®Centre of Excellence¡¯ for low carbon and fuel cell technologies and The John Lewis Partnership have laid down an ¡®Eco Van and Eco Lorry Challenge¡¯ to the UK commercial vehicle supply chain.

 

John Lewis and its supermarket arm Waitrose want to put low emissions vehicles on their fleets over the next two to three years to better understand the carbon and lifecycle cost savings potential of new and emerging low carbon vehicle technologies, targeted to reduce the John Lews Partnership¡¯s CO2 footprint by 20-30% compared with the use of current mainstream transport technologies. Data collected during the trial periods will help specify the next generation of vehicles to be purchased for the JLP and Waitrose.

 

The John Lewis Partnership fleet covers around 43 million miles per year, and comprises mostly vans, rigid trucks, artics and refrigerated trailers. John Lewis is looking for deeper carbon cuts than current technology allows, and wants to try to use its purchasing power and leadership position to help transform the market. Cenex¡¯s role will be to work with suppliers to formulate propositions for submission to the Challenges, and to oversee independent testing.

 

The Challenge aims to provide innovative solutions in four vehicle categories: 3.5 tonne refrigerated van, 7.5 tonne vehicle, 38 tonne trailer, and semi-trailer refrigeration unit.

 

The Challenge is technology-neutral, and open to the trial of alternatives from electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to hydrogen and fuel cells. John Lewis is also interested in trialling high bio-content fuels from renewable sources, such as bio-methane from waste.

From: auto industry.uk/news