Daf Trucks has started field testing the CF Hybrid with Dutch transport operator Peter Appel.

The company is now using two trucks to supply supermarkets in the heart of the Netherlands.

The Daf CF Hybrid is fully-electric in urban areas and uses clean diesel technology out of town.

“Together with our client, Albert Heijn, we are always looking for ways to reduce our CO2 footprint,” says Marcel Pater, fleet manager at Peter Appel Transport.

“While the electric trucks are ideal for urban distribution, the hybrid technology is preferable for longer routes. In town, the Daf CF Hybrid operates fully electric, and the truck’s diesel engine means it can travel to and from the different distribution centres within the Netherlands and abroad without any problems,” he added.                                                                                                

Daf says the truck combines the best of both worlds by driving with ‘zero emissions’ in town, thereby ensuring both long range and flexibility outside urban areas.

The trucks are equipped with a 10.8 litre PACCAR MX-11 diesel engine and a ZF electric motor.

The electric motor gets its energy from an 85kWh battery pack, which recharges when the diesel engine is being used. During diesel operation, the electric motor functions as a generator and delivers energy to the battery pack. In the future it will also be possible to charge the battery at a (fast) charging station.

When the battery is fully charged, the Daf CF Hybrid has an electric range of 18 to 30 miles, depending on the total weight of the truck-trailer combination -more than enough to drive into and out of urban areas without producing any tailpipe emissions.

Ron Borsboom, executive director of Product Development at Daf Trucks, said: “Fully electric is a good alternative for urban distribution, clean diesel technology an excellent option for longer distances – partly due to new types of fuel – and for the long term we are having a closer look at hydrogen as well. With the field test of the CF Hybrid, we want to assess not only its electric/diesel technology performance but also how suitable it is in terms of daily use by our clients.”