DRÄXLMAIER will use the MAN eTGX to transport batteries for the Porsche Macan Electric to Porsche’s plant in Leipzig. The vehicle will operate using electricity from renewable sources.
“This is a milestone in our company’s history,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus. “MAN presented the first diesel truck 100 years ago. Now we are entering a new electric era. Our very first eTruck goes to DRÄXLMAIER.”
Vlaskamp also mentioned the years of planning and testing involved, noting that “many tens of thousands of kilometres of test drives” were completed before this launch.
The MAN eTGX is not being purchased directly by DRÄXLMAIER but will be commissioned through Business Fleet Services (BFS), the largest MAN commercial vehicle rental company in Europe. BFS will rent the truck to Spedition Elflein, which will operate the vehicle.
“As the largest rental company for MAN commercial vehicles in Europe, we are very pleased to be part of this milestone,” said Jan Plieninger, Managing Director of BFS.
Felix Klimas, Head of Supply Chain Management at DRÄXLMAIER, highlighted the company’s sustainability goals:
“By using the MAN eTruck, we are realising complete electrification to our customer and reaffirming our commitment to making logistics processes more sustainable and future-oriented.”
He added that this contributes to DRÄXLMAIER’s objective of reducing emissions in its supply chain.
The truck is designed with 450 horsepower (330 kW), six battery packs with a total capacity of 534 kWh (480 kWh usable), and a fully digital driver’s workstation. It has a charging capacity of up to 375 kW via CCS. The low-loader design allows it to tow trailers with an interior height of three metres, enabling it to transport large-volume parts used in the automotive industry.
Two additional MAN eTGX trucks are planned to be introduced for DRÄXLMAIER by the end of the year, bringing the total number of vehicles in operation to three.
MAN Truck & Bus also announced that its portfolio of electric vehicles includes a more powerful version of the eTruck with 544 horsepower (400 kW) and a range of up to 650 kilometres, depending on the configuration.
According to Friedrich Baumann, more than 2,500 orders and enquiries for the eTruck have been received, and the company expects around half of its truck deliveries to be battery-electric by 2030.