Portsmouth-based 2 Start Training has praised its newly delivered electric DAF trucks for being ideally suited to driver training.
The company took delivery of the Jamaica Blue and Flame Red XD 350 FT 4×2 Electrics in May, becoming the first driving school in the UK to add plug-in tractors to its fleet.
It charges the vehicles overnight using a PacMobile portable charger which plugs into its existing three-phase supply. The XD 350 FT Electric delivers 350 kWh of power to the road from 525kWh battery packs, meaning it can cover up to 300 miles between visits to the plug.
Also, the trucks have a maximum charging speed of up to 325 kWh, enabling the batteries to be charged from 20% to 80% in less than an hour.
PACCAR’s EX-D2 electric power unit comprises twin electric motors which serve both as a retarder and as a regenerative braking system to feed energy back into the batteries on the move, and a fully automated three-speed gearbox to manage power delivery.
The training provider believes that the electric XDs are the ideal training trucks for the next generation of drivers, given the lack of noise.
Paul Moon, Managing Director of 2 Start Training, said: “Electric trucks align with our ethos, too.
“They’re different, attract interest in 2 Start Training and help to incentivise trucking to a new generation. “Plugging the vehicles in has become second nature to us and part of the close-down routine.”
