DP World has expanded its Low Carbon Truck Programme with a new initiative to give UK hauliers practical experience of operating battery-electric HGVs.
The Electric Vehicle Introduction and Transition Accelerator (EVITA) allows operators to rent electric trucks for 12-week periods out of Southampton and test them in real-world operations.
Running from July 2026 until 2029, it builds on an initial pilot launched earlier this year in partnership with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and Project JOLT.
More than 1,500 trucks from about 60 UK hauliers are already registered to the Low Carbon Truck Programme.
Several operators have already taken delivery of electric trucks through the expanded initiative, including Williams Shipping and ATL Haulage.
Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and MAN will initially provide electric trucks for the scheme, with the fleet increasing to four vehicles from October.
Participants will also have access to DP World’s electric truck charging facilities in Southampton, including twin 360kWh chargers located at the port’s driver welfare centre.
The programme aims to help operators better understand how eHGVs perform on their own routes and within their existing supply chains by offering access to vehicles at costs similar to diesel-powered alternatives.
DP World expects it to create up to 100 trial opportunities over the next three years.
John Trenchard, Vice President of Sustainable Supply Chains for Europe at DP World, said: “With the EVITA trial, DP World is demonstrating its commitment to enabling the industry to adopt more sustainable methods of moving goods through a practical and commercially attractive pathway.”
