TNT Express
In December 2006, Smith supplied the world's first 7.5 tonne high performance electric Newton vehicles to leading express, mail and logistics operator TNT.
Following successful trials of the Newton, TNT placed an order for another 50 vehicles in 2007.
“This is a huge step forward for our fleet. Not only is this one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles on the market, there are also potential significant cost savings in the long-term.
This vehicle is exempt from the London congestion charge - approximately £1,750 a year - incurs no road tax and is battery-driven. It costs just £25 a week to recharge the battery as opposed to £110 spent on fuel for a diesel vehicle.
”Tom Bell, Managing Director of TNT Express Services UK & Ireland
The Smith Newton is the world's first high performance 7.5 tonne electric vehicle. Designed for urban environments, it operates without the polluting effects of harmful emissions and CO2 emissions. It is also virtually silent, causing negligible noise pollution.
The TNT Newton is powered by two 40kwh lithium-ion battery packs, positioned on the underside of the truck, that can propel the vehicle up to 50mph. The batteries can be re-charged through a standard three-phase electrical supply
As well as being zero emission, the Newton's body panels are built from an ultra light, state-of-the-art fully recyclable composite material manufactured by Omnia. This substantially reduces body weight and increases the payload capacity.
