Volta Trucks, the all-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has celebrated the official opening of its innovative Truck as a Service Hub in Tottenham, London. The event was attended by controversial Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan as well as Tottenham MP Rt. Hon. David Lammy, industry leaders, key customers, and stakeholders.
Situated on White Hart Lane in Tottenham, the cutting-edge facility marks the first of its kind in the UK. It is designed to be the primary destination for routine servicing and maintenance of electric vehicles in the London area. The state-of-the-art hub offers comprehensive support to fleet operators transitioning to electric trucks, featuring administrative offices and a Volta Trucks Academy Training centre, as well as a customer call centre providing round-the-clock assistance and technical support for the trucks that we saw being built during our visit earlier this year.
With the opening of the London Hub, Volta Trucks‘ UK organisation now boasts over 600 highly skilled employees, in addition to its Engineering, Software, and Development facilities in the Midlands and commercial operations based in Reading. The company is also looking to change people's thinking about the best ownership model.
Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his support for Volta Trucks' pioneering efforts and commended the company for its commitment to sustainability and driving the industry's transition towards electrification. He highlighted the significance of zero-emission freight in decarbonizing road transport and lauded Volta Trucks' recent launch of the London trial for its first fully electric heavy goods vehicle (HGV), the Volta Zero.
The Mayor stated, “The new Volta Zero vehicle is the future of London's freight – world-leading in terms of green technology, while also meeting the highest safety standard which can be awarded to an HGV.”
Emphasizing the importance of infrastructure to support electric vehicles, Mayor Khan announced Transport for London's plan to release two additional batches of sites for public rapid and ultra-rapid charge points across the road network. These sites will play a significant role in supporting commercial vehicles and businesses, enabling high-mileage essential road users to contribute to a greener and more prosperous London.
Rt. Hon. David Lammy, Tottenham MP, applauded Volta Trucks for leading the way with its cutting-edge facility in Tottenham. Lammy highlighted the creation of new green jobs, talent development, and increased investment, underlining the importance of next-generation trucks for improving road safety and air quality.
Volta Trucks CEO Essa Al-Saleh expressed gratitude to Mayor Sadiq Khan and MP David Lammy for inaugurating the new facility. Al-Saleh stressed London's status as a key market for Volta Trucks in Europe, citing the paramount importance of improving air quality and enhancing road user safety. He called for political support through financial incentives, regulatory certainty, and measures to expedite the installation of charging infrastructure to aid in the decarbonization of urban logistics.
Casper Norden, Chief Fleet Solutions Officer of Volta Trucks, highlighted the significance of the London Hub as a milestone towards achieving the company's vision of zero-tailpipe emission cities. Norden emphasized that establishing a strong presence in London and other major European cities would revolutionize goods delivery and transportation, accelerating the adoption of electric commercial vehicles and paving the way for a cleaner and greener future.
The Volta Trucks London Hub recently underwent a BREEAM assessment, a sustainability performance evaluation system for buildings. The facility achieved an ‘Excellent' rating in its overall asset performance score. Noteworthy features include a photovoltaic system on the roof, converting sunlight into energy, and a passive solar wall optimizing heating and ventilation. These eco-friendly features reinforce Volta Trucks' commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint.
In addition to the London Hub, Volta Trucks has established a network of third-party Certified Service Partners. Sapphire Vehicle Solutions, the company's first UK partner, offers an extensive service and maintenance network across the country, tailored to the needs of Volta Trucks customers. To maximize vehicle uptime, they employ a fleet of mobile servicing units linked to each location.
Volta Trucks continues to lead the way in revolutionizing the commercial vehicle industry with its commitment to sustainable and electrified transportation. With the Truck as a Service Hub now open in London, the company is well-positioned to support fleet operators in their transition to electric trucks, furthering the goal of a cleaner and greener future for urban logistics.
Anyone who's spent ages sitting in heavy traffic around Tottenham will appreciate the area's efforts to help reduce pollution in the area.
Drinks Cubed placed the first formal order for Volta Trucks almost three years ago. The delivery schedule will be firming up about now.