College buys electric truck to teach budding technicians

The eCanter 4C15e has a gross weight of 4.18 tonnes and is fitted with a simple platform body – this reflects the fact that it is not intended for use in a transport application, but to help students prepare for life in workshops where electric vehicles are likely to be increasingly common.

The eCanter is used by the college’s level 2 and 3 heavy vehicle apprenticeship students – most are school leavers who have joined employers on schemes which see them spend four days per week in their workplace and one on day-release in the classroom, over a period of two or three years.

Courses are taught by heavy vehicle lecturers Lee Whittaker and Ben Young. “It’s no secret that there is a shortage of trained heavy vehicle technicians in the industry so these young people and the skills they learn are going to be vital to keep tomorrow’s trucks, buses and coaches running,” said Young.

“We have over 100 students who are on apprenticeships with everyone from haulage operators to local authorities, bus and coach companies, main dealers and even emergency services. In all cases, as well as learning how to work on traditional combustion engines, knowledge of how to maintain electric vehicles safely and effectively is going to be crucial in their future careers.

“Having a vehicle of our own for them to work with on a daily a basis is invaluable to the teaching process. The FUSO eCanter is a model that’s in use in many real-world applications. It’s competitively priced and importantly its compact footprint means it doesn’t take up too much workshop space, so it’s ideal for this purpose.”

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