Daf Trucks will begin fleet trials of a new CF Electric 6x2 rigid chassis before the end of the year.

The first vehicles will be field-tested as refuse collection trucks with Dutch public waste disposal firms HVC and ROVA.

The city of Rotterdam and Cure will follow early in 2020 with a fully electric 6x2 refuse collection truck fitted with a loader crane.

All of these vehicles are equipped with a VDL E-Power driveline. The fully electric superstructure is supplied by VDL Translift.

Since the end of 2018, the first Daf CF Electric vehicles have been operating as 4x2 tractors with various Dutch transporters, including Peter Appel, Simon Loos and Tinie Manders, as well as the supermarket chain Jumbo.

These trucks are part of an extensive field test in which they are required to transport goods to and from destinations such as supermarkets and distribution centres. The German logistics firm Rhenus is currently using two CF Electrics for regional container transport.

The CF Electric is suited to urban distribution and also for the collection of household waste. To this end, DAF has designed a three-axle rigid with steering axle for increased manoeuvrability and an even higher loading capacity.

The GVW for the CF Electric 6x2 is 28 tonnes.

Its driveline provides 210kW of power and 2,000 Nm – just like the CF Electric tractor. The driveline is powered by a 170kWh battery pack that can recharge up to 80% battery capacity in only 30 minutes.

Daf says the range is suited to urban refuse collection routes.