Wrightbus Puts the Future in Motion with First Repowered 19-Tonne Truck

By Brenda Shanahan, Director of Sales and Partnerships at ZeroMission

The road to zero emissions is rarely a straight one, but sometimes a bold move resets the entire trajectory. Wrightbus has just done that.

The company has unveiled its first repowered truck, a 19-tonne twin-axle DAF, which engineers are already calling a landmark achievement. This isn’t just another launch; it’s a practical solution at the perfect time.

With air quality now heading for a national emergency and many fleet operators still struggling with the high cost of zero-emission vehicles, Wrightbus’s repowered model lands as a game-changer. At less than half the price of a new zero-emission truck, it offers a pathway for operators who want to act today, not tomorrow.

Why This Matters

Duty cycle match: The 19-tonne truck mirrors the daily DNA of a bus, urban deliveries on fixed routes with back-to-base charging, making Wrightbus’s proven BEV powertrain a natural fit.
Parts commonality: With 90% of parts shared with existing Wrightbus buses, reliability, maintenance and scale are built in.
Job creation: More than 160 new jobs are expected over the next two years as production ramps up.
Support infrastructure: Repowering will take place at NewPower UK’s state-of-the-art Bicester factory, backed by AllServiceOne mobile engineers and a strategic partnership with Sapphire Vehicle Services under the RIGHTECH | Transport Solutions banner.

Industry Leadership

Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus Group CEO, summed it up perfectly:
“Sales of new buses in the UK are over 60% zero-emission, but trucks are lagging way behind, with less than 1 per cent of the sector switching to EV. We believe that repowering is the simplest and most cost-effective way to ignite the market.”

This move signals more than just a new product; it’s about shifting the economics of decarbonisation. For fleets hesitant about the upfront cost of going green, repowering represents a lower barrier to entry and a faster route to compliance.

A Global Expansion Story

The launch is also part of Wrightbus’s global expansion strategy, with operations already spanning the UK, Europe and Asia. With a workforce of over 2,300 people and service centres in Ballymena, Coventry, Bicester, Brühl (Germany) and Selangor (Malaysia), Wrightbus is proving that innovation in zero-emission mobility can also fuel international growth.

Final Thoughts

From my perspective at ZeroMission, what Wrightbus has achieved with this repowered truck could be the spark the freight industry has been waiting for. It’s not just a technical milestone, it’s a pragmatic leap that balances cost, performance, and sustainability at a moment when all three matter more than ever.

The message is clear: the future of zero-emission trucks doesn’t have to wait. It can start today and it can be repowered.