Fuel-cell hybrid to power Tevva’s 7.5-tonner

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Thursday 28 October 2021

Tevva, the British-based, Israeli-owned electric truck start-up, has received a £4.2 million grant from the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre to develop long-range zero-emissions medium-duty trucks.

Powered by fuel-cell hybrids, the vehicles will be assembled in a yet-to-be constructed facility in London Thames Freeport as part of the SANGREAL Project, a £12.2 million collaboration between Tevva and Advanced Electric Machines (AEM), an internationally recognised designer and manufacturer with the corporate mission to build “the most sustainable motors in the world.”

The project involves the design and development of an innovative electric transaxle and intelligent vehicle propulsion control system with on-board telematics which is designed to optimise the use of the H2 Fuel Cell Range extender for operating range and reliability and enable predictive and preventative servicing.

Previously concentrating on offering hybrid diesel-electric repower kits inspired by sub­marine technology for vehicles such as the Mercedes 811 for the parcels industry including UPS, Tevva is working its way up the weightscales with the an­nouncement of a plan to build a 7.5-tonner, apparently based on an Iveco Eurocargo ‘glider’ chassis-cab.

Offering a range of up to 160 miles (250 km) in pure battery electric vehicle (BEV) form or up to 310 miles (500 km) with its patented range extender technology (REX), which has now been upgraded to use hydrogen fuel cells; the Tevva Truck is claimed to offer a best-in-class combination of capability and cost efficiency from a zero emissions medium duty truck, while offering the ruggedness and resilience of traditional trucks. Payload is said to be just over three tonnes: about a tonne less than is normal on a similar diesel-powered truck.

Production of an initial 3,000 vehicles a year is planned for 2023 after start-up next year, and Tevva says the vehicle’s total cost of ownership is comparable to a diesel; parity is achieved at approximately 3,000 km or when 500 litres of diesel is consumed per month.