News / Amazon goes large with electric trucks order to aid UK decarbonisation

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Amazon has placed the largest order for electric trucks seen in the UK, and has also committed to deliver parcels by rail, “at scale”.  

The ecommerce giant announced the order for 140 electric Mercedes-Benz and eight Volvo FM battery electric trucks today.

Around 20 of the Mercedes trucks have been funded by the UK Department for Transport and coordinated in partnership with Innovate UK, following Amazon’s participation in the government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme (ZEHID). 

The vehicles will join Amazon’s transportation network over the next 18 months, after which they are expected to transport more than 300m packages each year, with no exhaust emissions.  

Amazon is also set to install additional fast-charging infrastructure across the UK, including 360kW electric charging points capable of charging the 40-tonne Mercedes trucks from 20% to 80% in just over an hour.  At full charge, the trucks will have a range of 500km. 

Future of Roads minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Business has a crucial role to play in decarbonising our roads and that’s why it’s fantastic to see Amazon place the UK’s biggest ever order for electric trucks, supported in part by the government.” 

Additionally, Amazon has promised rail deliveries in the UK “at scale”, informing customers products will be shipped on train carriages on the UK’s electric West Coast Main Line, which runs between Scotland and the Midlands. Products are then picked up from stations close to local Amazon delivery and fulfilment centres. 

To further reduce road traffic and give SME UK businesses “easier access to European markets”, products are also transported from stations to ferry ports. 

The Scottish Coatbridge rail terminal was acquired last April by transport and logistics provider Russel Group, allowing it to trade under Russell RailRoad. Its rail-linked sites include Daventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Coatbridge, Inverness and Aberdeen, so it is likely Amazon will have agreed a minimum quantity commitment with the group to serve Scottish customers.  

Amazon said it expected upwards of 20m products to travel on the UK’s electric rail network this year, “avoiding traffic congestion and carbon emissions”. 

The ecommerce giant also teased plans to expand across more rail routes “before the end of the year”.