Waitrose drives hybrid breakthrough
Waitrose stores in central London are now receiving deliveries from the first of a new breed of low emission Mercedes-Benz trucks.
Operated by shared user distribution firm Lenham Storage, the Atego BlueTec Hybrid employs a Euro 5 diesel engine and an electric motor, which can power the vehicle individually or in tandem. A dashboard display allows the driver to monitor the performance of the electric motor, confirming whether it is assisting the diesel engine during overtaking or storing energy during braking.
Depending on the application, Europe’s first series-produced hybrid truck offers fuel consumption savings of up to 15 per cent and a similar reduction in CO2 emissions.
Lenham Storage’s new 12-tonner is also equipped with a specially developed version of the Mercedes-Benz MSS (Motor Stop-Start) system, which boosts fuel economy simply by switching off the engine whenever the vehicle is in neutral and stationary for three seconds.
“We believe hybrid vehicles will have a valuable role to play in reducing carbon emissions and improving local air quality in urban environments,” says Justin Laney, fleet general manager at the John Lewis Partnership. “Using this vehicle for deliveries to our Waitrose shops will help us to assess the contribution that the latest hybrid technology can make to our own carbon reduction plans.”