The past two months have seen electric truck (e-truck) pilots being carried out across Austria and Slovakia, for first and last-mile delivery runs. Similar e-truck test routes are planned in other CEE countries, in line with the logistics provider’s comprehensive sustainability strategy. cargo-partner’s ultimate goal by the end of this year, is to have at least five cargo-partner branded e-trucks offering capacities of between 7.5 to 10 tons, in operation in Europe within the local Road Transport segment. The company will also invest in charging stations at its hubs to ensure seamless operations.
The tests in Austria, which began at the end of MAR24, were carried out using a Mercedes-Benz eActros-300. This e-truck is capable of covering 250-300 km on a single charge. Trips operated from and around cargo-partner’s hub near Vienna Airport, were proven to be emission and noise-free. The truck was deployed in last-mile delivery routes covering numerous stops, and transported an average of around 5.5 tons of cargo on a daily basis. “A significant highlight was a tour to the nearby town of St. Poelten. Throughout the trip, the truck delivered cargo with a total payload of 6.9 tons, completing all customer stops over a total distance of 264 km. With an average energy consumption of only 1 kWh/km, the truck proved highly energy-efficient, as the board computer showed a remaining capacity of 38% or 166 km at the end of the day;” the release explained.
Over in Slovakia, from mid-APR24, it was a FUSO eCanter truck that was used in tests during a two-week period. It offers a power output of 123.9 kW, a 3.1-ton payload capacity using 12 pallets, and can cover up to 200 km on a single charge. Here, Bratislava was the main location for the daily test routes, though trial runs were also carried out between the Bratislava hub and cargo-partner’s warehouse in Dunajska Streda, and between Bratislava, Vienna, and Fischamend. The tests showed similar results to the Austrian pilots, at an average consumption of 1 kWh/km.
Thomas Schledorn, cargo-partner’s Chief Operating Officer Overland, stated: “cargo-partner is committed to driving sustainable innovation in the logistics industry. We are very pleased by the positive results of the initial trial runs in Austria and Slovakia, and we look forward to testing electric trucks in other countries soon. By introducing e-trucks for first and last-mile transports, we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner environment while maintaining the highest standards of service for our customers.”
