Voltempo to build cabless autonomous electric truck to boost cargo capacity
The British EV firm is stripping the driver's cabin from heavy goods vehicles to slash weight and increase payload.
British EV infrastructure company Voltempo is developing a cabless, autonomous electric heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that removes the driver's compartment entirely. The project aims to fundamentally redesign the architecture of freight transport to maximize cargo space and reduce vehicle weight.
The proposed vehicle is a 15.6-metre rigid truck featuring five axles and a gross vehicle weight of up to 42 tonnes. According to project specifications, the vehicle is expected to weigh between 10 and 12 tonnes, a significant reduction compared to the approximately 19 tonnes typical of conventional electric articulated lorries. This weight saving is intended to provide an additional 5 to 7 tonnes of payload capacity and increase overall cargo volume by roughly 15%.
The shift to autonomous freight
The vehicle is being built by Berkeley Coachworks, with a physical prototype scheduled for completion by September 2027. Once the prototype is finished, Voltempo plans to conduct testing on a designated autonomous vehicle route in South Wales. If the testing phase proves successful, the company has targeted production for late 2027, with the first commercial deliveries expected around mid-2028.
This design shift reflects a broader industry inquiry into the necessity of traditional truck shapes. If no human operator needs to sit in the vehicle, the traditional cab may no longer be required, allowing engineers to prioritize aerodynamics and storage over human ergonomics.
Regulatory and industry hurdles
While the technical gains in payload and efficiency are clear, the vehicle faces a significant legal obstacle. At 15.6 metres, the truck exceeds current UK regulations for rigid HGVs, which typically cap length at 12 metres. Consequently, the commercial viability of the design depends not only on the success of the autonomous technology but also on potential regulatory changes to vehicle classification in the UK.
What's next
Industry observers will be watching the South Wales trials to see how the cabless design handles real-world motorway and hub-to-hub conditions. The primary remaining uncertainty is whether the UK government will adjust length restrictions to accommodate this new class of autonomous rigid vehicles. Until those regulatory barriers are addressed, the truck may remain a technological proof-of-concept rather than a fleet-ready solution. The success of this project could signal a wider transition toward specialized, purpose-built autonomous fleets that operate independently of human-centric design constraints.