A DAF XD Electric goes milk collecting in the Netherlands
Dutch dairy transport specialist Van Der Mierden Transport has taken delivery of a distinctive DAF XD Electric for milk collection operations. The 4x2 electric tractor combines a 350 kW driveline and 525 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of more than 500 kilometres.
Van Der Mierden Transport, a Dutch company specialising in the collection and transportation of milk and dairy products, has added a DAF XD Electric to its fleet. The battery-electric tractor will be coupled to tank semi-trailers and deployed in daily milk collection operations in the Netherlands.
There is also a rather unusual connection with DAF’s past. The truck features a special colour scheme and graphics inspired by the DAF racing truck of the 1990s, giving a very distinctive appearance to a vehicle intended for an altogether different type of operation.
DAF XD Electric: 525 kWh for more than 500 km
The vehicle is based on the DAF XD 350 FT Electric 4×2 tractor. Its electric driveline delivers 350 kW (480 hp) and is supplied by a 525 kWh battery pack.
According to DAF, the configuration can provide a range of more than 500 kilometres on a single charge, depending on the application. A figure that makes the truck suitable, in the manufacturer’s view, for the daily operating patterns required by Van Der Mierden.
The vehicle was specified by DAF Netherlands and supplied by DAF dealer Truckland. For Van Der Mierden, the decision also represents an opportunity to introduce battery-electric propulsion into normal fleet operations rather than using the vehicle for a demonstration or pilot project.
From milk churns to electric trucks
The application has particular significance considering the history of the Dutch transport company. Van Der Mierden has been operating for more than 60 years and originally started collecting milk churns from local farms using a horse and cart.
Today, its fleet consists almost entirely of DAF trucks and its activities have expanded well beyond milk collection. The company transports fresh milk to processing facilities as well as dairy raw materials, semi-finished products and finished products throughout the Netherlands and internationally, using insulated tank semi-trailers among other equipment.
The new XD Electric therefore adds battery-electric transport to a highly specialised logistics operation where vehicles are required to combine sufficient daily range with the operational flexibility needed to collect and deliver temperature-sensitive products.
