H E Services goes electric: duty cycle and charging notes for plant fleets
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
H E Services (Plant Hire) has introduced its first fully electric delivery lorry, an 18‑tonne DAF FA XD 220 from Channel Commercials, operating from its Strood depot and capable of being plated up to 20 tonnes to offset battery mass. The 9m vehicle, with a 6.9m Charlton Bodies platform and beavertail, uses three batteries for a quoted 130–180‑mile range per charge, depending on conditions and payload. To support operations, H E Services has installed an ultra‑rapid CCS charger at Strood, with the truck able to DC fast charge at up to 150 kW or 22 kW on AC.
Technical Brief
- Vehicle can legally uprate from 18 tonnes GVW to 20 tonnes to offset traction battery mass.
- Charlton Bodies build provides a 4,834 mm flat platform plus 1,858 mm double‑cranked beavertail.
- Overall body length of 6.9 m within an approximately 9 m total vehicle length aids depot manoeuvrability.
- Configuration shown carrying a 6 m Sany telehandler, indicating typical plant‑hire payload envelope.
- Three‑pack battery system gives an advised 130–180 mile range, strongly dependent on payload and conditions.
- CCS2 charge inlet is located near the front mudguard on the driver’s side for yard access.
- Onboard AC/DC converter limits AC charging to 22 kW, influencing overnight charging window planning.
- Ultra‑rapid CCS at Strood depot is intended as anchor infrastructure for a wider electric delivery fleet.
Our Take
H E Services’ move to an 18 t battery-electric DAF at its Strood depot follows earlier on-site EVision golf cart trials there, signalling a deliberate stepwise electrification of both internal logistics and road-going fleet rather than a one-off purchase.
With an advised range of 130–180 miles and 150 kW DC fast charging, this UK-spec vehicle is technically suited to regional shuttle work between depots and nearby sites, but will still constrain longer multi-drop routes unless H E Services and Channel Commercials plan en‑route charging or depot fast-charger upgrades.
Among recent UK Infrastructure pieces tagged ‘Product’ and ‘Sustainability’ in our database, most electric deployments are still light vehicles or site plant; a fully electric 18 t carrier for 6 m telehandlers positions H E Services towards the leading edge of low-carbon heavy logistics in the plant-hire segment.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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