The fuel cell vehicles, known as the QUANTRON QLI FCEV, were developed in collaboration with Ballard Power Systems, a Canadian global leader in fuel cell technology. Notably, the entire process, from the feasibility study to delivery, was completed in just 18 months, enabling the QUANTRON QLI FCEV to be deployed efficiently.
“By introducing the hydrogen trucks – as the first IKEA market worldwide – we succeed in Austria in implementing environmentally friendly processes. In this way, as a pioneer in the field of sustainable logistics, we want to show that a transformation to zero-emission delivery is already possible today,” stated Alpaslan Deliloglu, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA Austria.
Key to the technology of these vehicles is the Quantron Inside system, offering a comprehensive package. This includes an innovative e-axle, a customized high-performance battery, fuel cell and tank system integration, as well as unique energy management and aerodynamics for efficiency.
A single tank of fuel can cover a range of up to 400 km, enabling these vehicles to cover distances of more than 500 km per day.
“”We are pleased that our collaboration with IKEA has reached another level with the launch of innovative QUANTRON products. The QLI FCEV is the first H2 vehicle in the fuel cell commercial vehicle segment up to 7.5 t in Europe and the market leader in fuel cell technology in this class. We have been supporting IKEA Austria on its mission of decarbonization since August 2021. IKEA Austria has 45 QLI BEV trucks in use in the greater Vienna area and a further eleven in other Austrian cities,” Andreas Haller, founder and Executive Chairman of Quantron AG, expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration.
The adoption of battery-electric QUANTRON vehicles has already resulted in a reduction of approximately 450 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
With the introduction of FCEV trucks, which offer a longer range for deliveries, even outside urban areas, an additional reduction of 160 tons of CO2 emissions per year is anticipated.
By 2025, IKEA Austria aims to make 100% of its last-mile deliveries emission-free, and the company has plans to expand its fleet of hydrogen trucks to 40 units by the same year.