British electric vehicle manufacturer Tevva has secured European Community whole vehicle type approval for its 7.5-tonne battery-electric truck, enabling it to push ahead with mass production.

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It’s a major milestone that marks a first for a British firm and has spearheaded first deliveries to customers including Expect Distribution, Travis Perkins and Royal Mail. The company expects to sell up to 1,000 electric trucks in 2023.

Aimed at last-mile and urban delivery fleets, Tevva’s 7.5t electric truck offers up to 140 miles (227km) of range from its 105kWh battery. It will be followed by a 7.5t hydrogen-electric truck this year, using hydrogen range-extender tech to enhance vehicle range to up to 354 miles (570km) – enhancing the fleet usage case.

The essential certification has been achieved for the EU and UK with the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) and the Swedish Transport Agency (STA) and saw the Tevva electric truck undergo 30 system tests, including electric safety and electromagnetic compatibility.

Tevva founder and CEO Asher Bennett said: “I am incredibly proud of our team who have worked tirelessly to secure this certification and get our 7.5t electric truck in customers’ hands and on the roads.

“We are on a mission to make sustainable trucks accessible at scale and believe our technology will empower the transport sector and the governments of Europe to meet their net-zero goals. By embracing both hydrogen and electric fuel sources, we can rethink the energy mix in transport, reduce strain on our electricity grid and accelerate electric truck adoption.”