Serco has successfully designed and manufactured rigid truck bodies for SANY Trucks’ local electric vehicle range. The project, completed at Serco’s Johannesburg facility, involved the construction of three rigid dry-freight units, including single-skin van bodies and a tautliner.
The primary engineering challenge in building for electric trucks lies in balancing structural durability with weight. Serco utilised specialised lightweight construction techniques to ensure that the added weight of the truck bodies does not significantly detract from the vehicle’s usable payload or its operating range.
By maximising efficiency through materials and design, these builds help fleet operators mitigate “range anxiety” while maintaining the heavy-duty performance required for local logistics and specialized transport operations.
SANY Trucks currently offers one of South Africa’s most comprehensive lineups of electric heavy-duty trucks. According to Avinash Singh, Director of Sales and Marketing for EVs at SANY Trucks, Serco was selected following a rigorous evaluation process to ensure the body quality matched the high-tech nature of the chassis.
The local EV truck market is currently seeing a surge in interest as charging infrastructure improves and fleet owners begin to recognize the total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits associated with electric drivetrains compared to traditional diesel equivalents.
The completed vehicles are equipped with a suite of modern accessories designed to improve day-to-day operational efficiency. These include LED interior strip lighting for better visibility during loading and rear doors fitted with Delta locking handles for enhanced security and ergonomics.
Serco’s EV-focused catalog also features fast-opening curtain mechanisms for tautliners and eco-friendly internal wear strips for van bodies. These components are selected to reduce physical effort for operators and extend the life of the vehicle body while lowering its overall environmental impact.
To support the adoption of these new technologies, Serco has emphasized its national after-sales network, with dedicated facilities in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and Gqeberha. This infrastructure is intended to reduce downtime for fleet operators transitioning to electric mobility, providing consistent support throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle. .
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