RENAULT TRUCKS PRODUCES ITS FIRST FULLY-ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION TRUCK FOR THE NOBLET GROUP

Following the launch of its comprehensive range of electric trucks designed for distribution, Renault Trucks is producing its first electric truck dedicated to construction with zero emissions in use.  Plant hire specialist, the Noblet Group, which is committed to a rigorous energy transition, is set to take delivery of the first D Wide Z.E. fitted with JOCQUIN tipper body and HIAB X HiPro 142-E crane.

The fully electric 26 tonne D Wide Z.E. 6x2 with a steered rear axle is equipped with a pack of four 66 kWh batteries. Thanks to low noise levels and zero tailpipe emissions, the vehicle is ideally suited to construction operations in urban and suburban environments. 

On construction sites, the crane and tipping gear, which require the engine to be kept running, will now be operated without CO2 emissions or noise, significantly improving worker comfort and the quality of life of local residents. Use of electric trucks on site also eliminates one of the challenges of off-road use, the raising of dust by exhaust emissions, without the need to install a vertical exhaust system.

The Renault Trucks Z.E. range vehicles also meet the environmental requirements of operating in urban areas with restricted traffic regulations.

It is precisely this "zero emissions in use" that Noblet, a company that hires out construction equipment and vehicles with drivers, is seeking to achieve. It already sees comparative advantages in this, as Laurent Galle, CEO of Noblet, explains: "Some clients in certain cities in the Paris region, for specific worksites, will be ready to pay more for equipment that is mainly carbon-free and, above all, silent."

One further benefit identified by Noblet is the support available from the French Government, which for this vehicle totals almost €100k.  Andrew Scott, Head of Electromobility for Renault Trucks in the UK and Ireland responds,

“Recent changes to the Plug-in Vehicle Grant by the UK Government fail to recognise the key part incentives can play in increasing the uptake in electric vehicles. If we want to see electric vehicles adopted in sectors such as construction, it will be critical that we have the support of Government in properly valuing the benefits which fully electric vehicles can bring to our city streets.”

The Noblet Group chose a D Wide Z.E. equipped with four 66kWh battery packs, which can be recharged in less than 10 hours from a 22 kW socket and in less than 2 hours with a 150kW rapid charger.

The vehicle, which will be used in the Greater Paris region, can easily be recharged near the operational sites or at a few stations in Paris that are suitable for commercial vehicles. For example, a one-hour partial recharge (22 kW) will provide an additional 15 to 20 km, making electricity the ideal technology for urban use.