Tarmac trialling all-electric tipper truck

Tarmac’s efforts to decarbonise are moving forward in Walsall where the company is carrying out an eight-week trial of an all-electric tipper truck.

Switching to EV power helps to reduce emissions and boost air quality
Switching to EV power helps to reduce emissions and boost air quality - Tarmac

Working with Tilbury-based electric truck manufacturer Tevva alongside Brit-Tipp – who completed this first electric tipper body integration – Tarmac began development of the electric tipper truck in 2022 as it sourced alternatively fuelled HGV vehicles. As a result of this collaboration, Brit-Tipp has secured type approval for all their bodies on the Tevva chassis.

Assuming a use cycle of 80 miles a day (2,500 miles a month), the 7.5-tonne Tevva electric tipper truck is expected to save over 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ per month compared to a diesel model the same size. 

Tarmac is a signatory of the EV100 initiative, committing that all cars and vans in its fleet would be zero emission by 2030. In 2023 the company brought the UK’s first all-electric battery readymix concrete truck into operation, plus the world’s first electric bond coat sprayer. 

During the trial, Tarmac will evaluate the vehicle’s performance in practical operation as well as its range when loaded to assess how the benefits of the technology can be maximised. 

In a statement, Jonathan Medforth, national plant & transport manager at Tarmac said: “This project represents a key milestone towards reaching our sustainability goals and underscores our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations including our road transport fleet. 

“We previously trialled an EV tipper in 2013, but its range and payload was limiting due to the availability of technology at the time. More than a decade on it’s exciting to see the new innovations that are making these vehicles viable. 

“It’s great to be working with Tevva on this initiative. Not only is the tipper truck a zero emissions vehicle, but it’s also practical and a lot quieter than a diesel alternative which is another great benefit for our drivers, customers and the communities we work in.” 

Tarmac, a building materials and construction solutions provider, has committed to reach a 30 per cent absolute reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2021 baseline.