According to sennder, the aim of the project was to test the long-term capabilities of 40+ tonne electric trucks.
BREYTNER, an operator of zero-emission electric trucks, in association with Hn Post & Zonen, their joint venture partner, provided the heavy duty vehicle, which has a maximum gross vehicle weight of 50 tonnes and a battery range of 150km. The lorry ran entirely on electricity during the transport, with one charge taking place on the way to the destination and another when returning to base. Each charge took approximately an hour and twenty minutes and occurred in the Netherlands, which has one of the densest charging networks in the world.
The opinion of the digital freight forwarder is that the pilot project demonstrates a 40+ tonne electric truck can travel over 300km using just highway charging infrastructure.
With shippers and governments committing to net zero by 2040 or 2050 with sizable emissions reductions by 2030, companies across the logistics sector are looking at options for sustainable transportation. sennder is not alone, hence its investment in electric vehicles, advanced low-carbon fuels and route optimisation solutions. The same is true of Cabot, who recently announced its ambition to achieve net zero emissions globally by 2050. The firm is engaging with suppliers that offer carbon offsets and sustainable solutions that minimize the impact on the environment.
The two parties say they will now work together to increase the utilization of low and zero-carbon European transports.
Commenting on the pilot project, Graham Major-Ex, head of green business at sennder, said:
“Delivering our first zero emissions heavy duty electric transport is an accomplishment for our teams to be proud of. sennder is committed to giving shippers the best low-carbon transportation options in the industry; both advanced fuels and zero-emissions electric vehicles will play key roles in this. As a forwarder, it is vital that we work with partners such as Cabot and BREYTNER, with whom we can build a green future together. Some doubted whether fully loaded 40+ tonne trucks could travel highway distances on just electricity – we have proven that this is not only possible but something deliverable today.”
François Zehr, global logistics director at Cabot, added:
“As we advance in our ongoing commitment to further our sustainability journey, we see great potential to help drive toward our net zero ambitions by transforming our transportation fleet to electric and other low carbon vehicles. Collaborating with our suppliers will be important in reducing the overall impact of our value chain. We are proud to partner with sennder and BREYTNER on this electric truck pilot as we progress toward increasing low and carbon free transportation and enable a more sustainable future.”