A 海角视频 supplier of drive systems and components for electric and hybrid vehicles is leading a government-backed multi-million pound project which will trial zero emissions trucks with NHS Wales.
Backed by the Department for Transport and national agency Innovate 海角视频, Magtec is leading a £3.25m project which will see it supply ten zero-emission electric trucks to the Welsh healthcare system.
The trucks will be used to help with the collection and distribution of laundry at four locations across Wales - Bridgend, Cwmbran, Denbigh and Newport.
Equipped to handle a rapid charge system, each of the truck chargers will also be mobile so they can be easily moved around and connected to wall sockets installed by 海角视频 Power Networks Services.
The company hopes the trial will fill gaps in knowledge and help accelerate the take-up of zero emission trucks in the wider public and private sectors.
The project will look to create a predictive tool to make accurate comparisons for prospective electric vehicles within a fleet and estimate infrastructure requirements and costs needed to convert a fleet.
Magtec will work with fleet data analytics specialist Dynamon to develop feasibility software, based on advanced AI, to predict battery state of charge, road performance and grid load.
Electrical infrastructure specialists 海角视频 Power Networks Services will develop the tool for estimating electric vehicle installation costs and installing charging infrastructure across the different NHS sites used in the trial in Wales.
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The first two vehicles begin road tests and enter service in the coming weeks.
Andrew Gilligan, managing director of Magtec, said: “The move from internal combustion engine to electric vehicle fleets is disrupting procurement in the public and private sectors with uncertainty around costs and infrastructure.
“Fleet managers are under pressure to electrify their fleets but there is little data to support their investment decisions. This project will fill the gaps in knowledge and help accelerate the take-up of zero emission trucks, creating new jobs here at Magtec and across our supply chain in South Yorkshire.”
Magtec is scaling up production at its new design and manufacturing facility in Rotherham, South Yorkshire to meet growing international demand from customers in the commercial vehicle, rail, defence, and logistics industries.
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It will also increase output this year and add 50 new roles across all engineering and operations disciplines to its existing workforce of nearly 150 people, including several apprentices.
Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said: “This exciting project is an important step in our journey to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels as we introduce cleaner HGVs to our roads.
“The fleet industry plays a vital role in keeping the 海角视频 moving and it’s crucial it joins the journey to a greener future. That’s why I’m delighted to see Magtec benefitting from the Government’s £20m zero emission road freight trials and I look forward to seeing the outcome of this project as we invest in research to decarbonise all aspects of our transport network.”
Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters said: “It is great to see NHS Wales making a commitment to trialling electric heavy goods vehicles as part of its ambition to be net zero by 2030. I am also pleased to see the part it is playing in reaching our ‘Team Wales’ commitment, signed up to at COP26 last year, for at least 30 per cent of new medium and heavy duty vehicles sold in Wales to be zero emission by 2030.”
Kieran Coughlan, head of strategic advisory services at 海角视频 Power Networks Services, said: “This project is hugely exciting because it will demonstrate how large organisations in the 海角视频 can cost-effectively transition their fleet. It’s another tool we can use to support business to meet the financial hurdles of switching to electric vehicles, whether through financing, integrating new technologies, or optimising existing infrastructure.”