Lawsons has taken delivery of its first gas-powered heavy truck, a 26-tonne Iveco Stralis.

The family owned independent timber, building materials and fencing merchants will keep the vehicle for seven years as it trials the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a replacement for diesel.

Dunstable-based dealer Northern Commercials delivered the new truck, which offers significant sustainability advantages over diesel. It emits 50% less NOx emissions, 95% less particulate matter and 95% less CO2, when using compressed biomethane.

The Stralis NP 6x2 rigid has been built for operation primarily around Greater London and is based at Lawsons’ Camden depot, located half a mile from the nearest CNG-refuelling station.

David Harvey, group transport manager at Lawsons, said: “We recognised there was a huge potential for trialling gas vehicle technology in our fleet and once we started speaking with Iveco, they demonstrated a real desire to make it happen.”

Using a 7.8-litre natural gas engine, the truck is perfectly matched, in terms of on-road performance, to a traditional diesel 26-tonner. Plus, its natural gas engine is around 50% quieter than diesel, making it perfect for deliveries in residential areas.

Harvey added: “The need to reduce emission levels, particularly in the London area, is a major issue and we wanted to become an early adopter of this new technology. We’ll be monitoring the performance of the Stralis closely, and if it performs well, we are very confident about adding more natural gas-powered vehicles when we replace older diesel trucks in the fleet.”

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