Austrian logistics company Quehenberger Logistics plans to nearly double its electric truck fleet by the end of 2026, increasing the number of company-operated battery-electric vehicles from 13 to 24 while expanding its charging infrastructure.
Based in Straßwalchen near Salzburg, Quehenberger has been developing electric freight transport operations for several years. The company began working with battery-electric trucks in 2018, when it became one of the pilot customers for the MAN eTGM, a 26-tonne electric truck designed for distribution operations.
Its more recent expansion includes a major contract with German drugstore retailer dm. After introducing its first three electric trucks for the customer in 2024, Quehenberger has operated ten battery-electric vehicles serving approximately 100 dm stores in Vienna since spring.
Electric Fleet Expansion Targets Austrian Operations
The planned increase to 24 electric trucks will include the installation of additional charging infrastructure. Quehenberger said the expansion will bring the share of electric vehicles in its Austrian fleet to 60%, although it has not identified the customers or routes that will receive the additional trucks.
The company also has longer-term expansion plans. Within two years after the initial fleet increase, it intends to add another 50 electric trucks, further expanding its electric freight transport operations.
Quehenberger Logistics CEO Christian Fürstaller said the company sees battery-electric vehicles as an important part of the future of freight transport.
“We are convinced that electric mobility is an essential part of the future of freight transport,”
He added that the company’s early experience with electric trucks has helped it understand the operational requirements of deploying the technology.
“Because we’ve been involved from the very start, we understand the practical requirements. We pass this expertise directly on to our customers,”
Route Planning Shapes Electric Truck Deployment
Quehenberger identifies urban distribution, predictable delivery routes and operations with suitable charging access as the most appropriate applications for electric trucks.
The company said successful deployment depends on matching vehicles to specific operating conditions rather than introducing them across all transport activities without considering route requirements.
Andreas Letsch, Managing Director at Quehenberger Logistics, highlighted the importance of operational planning and integration.
“E-mobility in freight transport does not work on a ‘scattergun’ approach,”
“The key lies in the precise analysis of operational profiles, strategic route planning and intelligent integration into existing logistics processes. This is precisely where our expertise lies.”
Truck Models Not Disclosed
Quehenberger has not specified which electric truck models make up its current fleet or which vehicles it plans to acquire for the expansion.
The company is known to operate several Volvo FM Electric trucks. A photograph accompanying its latest announcement also shows a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, although this does not confirm the model’s inclusion in the planned procurement.
The expansion reflects Quehenberger’s continued focus on electrifying suitable freight operations, with vehicle deployment and charging infrastructure developing together as the company increases its electric transport capacity.