Kuehne+Nagel, the logistics company, has received 23 electric trucks from Renault Trucks in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint. The vehicles are part of a larger electrification effort and will be used at eight locations across France. The 16-tonne trucks are capable of carrying either 18 or 21 pallets and have a range of up to 235 kilometres. Kuehne+Nagel expects the new electric vehicles to save them 730 tonnes in CO2 emissions.
While the new vehicles will be used primarily for domestic routes, Kuehne+Nagel still sees the challenges of range and infrastructure as the main hurdles for electric vehicles. Xavier Léger, Managing Director of Road Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel France, said, “For now, it is more efficient to use EVs for domestic routes instead of international routes because of their limited range and the lack of charging infrastructure on European highways”. Until these issues are resolved, Kuehne+Nagel will continue to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a bridging technology to reduce road transport carbon emissions.
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Christophe Martin, Managing Director of Renault Trucks France, said, “With the introduction of these all-electric vehicles manufactured in France, Kuehne+Nagel will be able to continue its operations with the same range and payload, and access city centres regardless of the restrictions or regulations in force, without any direct CO2 emissions or noise pollution.”
Renault Trucks reportedly aims to achieve 50% of sales from electric trucks by 2030 and only sell EVs from 2040. In 2022, the company achieved a market share of 24.2% in Europe's medium- and heavy-duty electric truck segment. In France, the company accounted for 75% of the medium and heavy-duty electric trucks sold there last year.
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Kuehne+Nagel has set an ambitious target of having 60% of its global fleet made up of low-emission vehicles by 2030, specifically electric vehicles. Xavier Léger added, “The environmental and energy transition is a challenge that concerns us all, and we are proud to play our part as a major player in the transport sector, enabling our customers to reduce emissions caused by transport.
