City distribution trucks shaken with electrification

Electric delivery trucks have been in use in several cities across Europe for some time. Paris, for example, has been subject to numerous experiments between Renault and other companies, testing the viability of operating medium-tonnage electric vehicles. London has also participated in trials with electric distribution trucks, with fleet operators like FedEx taking the lead.

The latest cities to trial electric trucks for distribution were Lisbon and Porto, Portugal. In June 2014, Mitsubishi Fuso gave eight of its Canter E-Cell’s, small electric trucks with a range of around 100km (62 miles), to various companies and organisations across the country for a one-year trial. However, these trucks are not yet in production, and cannot yet be bought by distribution companies. What must be done to turn trial into normal, every-day use?