Renault Trucks said it has electrified a major internal logistics corridor linking its sites in Blainville-sur-Orne, Bourg-en-Bresse and Lyon, moving critical components almost entirely with battery-electric trucks as part of its decarbonisation strategy.
Working with French haulier Malherbe, the truck maker now transports cabs, engines and axles on a just-in-time basis using electric vehicles, supplying assembly lines without interruption. Heavy-duty cabs produced in Blainville-sur-Orne are shipped to Bourg-en-Bresse for assembly, while engines and axles manufactured in Lyon are delivered to Blainville-sur-Orne for integration into medium-duty trucks.
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“This strategic logistics flow is now covered almost entirely by 100% electric trucks,” Renault Trucks said.
To support the operation, Renault Trucks and Malherbe have deployed 22 Renault Trucks E-Tech T battery-electric vehicles. Eleven trucks operate on a northern loop connecting Blainville-sur-Orne, Vironvay and Auxerre, while another eleven serve a southern loop linking Auxerre, Mâcon, Bourg-en-Bresse and Lyon. The system relies on relay operations, with tractors, drivers and trailers swapped at predefined points to ensure continuous freight movement.
Under the setup, individual electric trucks can cover up to 810 kilometres per day on the northern loop and 704 kilometres per day on the southern loop without stopping the load. Charging takes place during driver rest periods, supported by Malherbe’s own charging infrastructure installed at key locations along the corridor.
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Renault Trucks said the logistics flow has been optimised to allow electric vehicles to operate for up to 18 hours per day, while keeping drivers within a limited radius of their home base. The company estimates that electrifying this inter-plant transport corridor will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,869 tonnes per year.
The project builds on an earlier step taken a year ago to decarbonise axle transport between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse. That operation uses five E-Tech T 4×2 electric trucks to haul around 22 tonnes of equipment over an 80-kilometre route, with each vehicle covering about 88,000 kilometres annually, Renault Trucks said.
