The 26-tonne truck, named ‘Electra’, runs on lithium-ion batteries and is designed for urban environments with short routes and can complete a full 10-hour shift.

The trial is part of a wider fightback against air pollution in the Square Mile.

Its governing body, the City of London Corporation, works with businesses to improve air quality through its City Air Programme. In January, it launched a cargo bike delivery scheme to help City firms tackle toxic air by shifting deliveries from diesel vans to cargo bicycles.

It is pioneering a London-wide crackdown on drivers who leave their engines idling and its City Air app, which is used by 27,000 Londoners, gives users low pollution travel routes across the capital with advice and alerts when air pollution is high.

The City of London explained that the trial will last for two months in the Smithfield area, and that the vehicle will also be trialled in two other UK cities later this year.