The feasibility study “ZeroEmissionDeliveries – Berlin” by the European environmental association Transport & Environment, which has now been launched, will use the real example of the REWE Group to examine the conditions under which electric commercial vehicles can be switched to electric commercial vehicles in regional delivery traffic. MAN Truck & Bus is involved in the study with its expertise as a vehicle manufacturer. Results are expected in the autumn of this year.The MAN eTGM in real practice within the framework of the CNL project in Austria – the data obtained will be used in the T&E feasibility study “ZeroEmissionDeliveries – Berlin”.
- Delivery routes for over 250 REWE markets are analyzed
- Goal of the feasibility study: “Promoting the electrification of truck fleets in large cities”
MAN Truck & Bus sees great potential for climate protection in the electrification of urban and regional freight and passenger transport. By using purely electrically powered commercial vehicles, the CO2footprint in transport can be reduced. However, the conversion from vehicle fleets to electric propulsion is complex and requires new charging infrastructure and the adaptation of electricity grids and working methods. MAN has been providing its customers with the expert team of MAN Transport Solutions with the switch to electromobility since 2018.
But there are also new opportunities for customers, for example by supplying electric trucks in marginal cities during the day, which cause significantly less noise. MAN has already participated in the EIT Urban Mobility project ZEUS (see “MAN electrifies city logistics“).
In the feasibility study “ZeroEmissionDeliveries – Berlin”, which has now been launched with Transport & Environment, the possibility of electrification will be investigated using a very concrete example. The core of the project is T&E, REWE Group, MAN Truck & Bus and Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), which will carry out the study. Other project partners are Stromnetz Berlin, Allego and Compleo. “The joint project is an important step towards the practical implementation of e-trucks in delivery traffic. After many roadmaps, it is now time to provide more clarity for companies. With the support of Fraunhofer ISI, we are investigating what is already possible today and what steps are needed by politicians, infrastructure managers and car manufacturers to advance the electrification of truck fleets in large cities,” explains Ekaterina Boening, Senior Policy Manager at T&E Germany.
The starting point for the analysis is the logistics centers Oranienburg and Alt-Mariendorf of the REWE Group. Feasibility will be examined using the practical example of regional delivery logistics in Berlin and the surrounding area. The delivery routes for over 250 REWE markets in this region are analyzed. “When supplying our supermarkets in Berlin and the surrounding area, one gear reaches into the other. A reliable drive of our truck fleet is the be-all and end-all. So far, we have been able to achieve significant savings in fuel consumption through better handling and optimised route plans. We are very interested in innovative, resource-saving solutions and are therefore happy to get involved in the project,” says Torsten Prag, Logistics Manager REWE Ost.
The study is intended to clarify in detail, among other things:
- Which vehicles are required?
- What is the optimal route plan for e-trucks?
- How can a mix of private and public charging infrastructure be designed?
- What are the requirements for the electricity distribution network and the generation of energy?
Thanks to the valuable experience that MAN has already gained with the electric distribution truck eTGM in the so-called CNL project in Austria since 2018, the T&E study can be supported in the best possible way by data collected in real operation. Michael Treier, Sales Truck Market Preparation eMobility, will accompany the study on the part of MAN Truck & Bus. “The T&E feasibility study on zero-emission delivery traffic will deliver valuable results to all stakeholders due to the integration of genuine customer requirements of the REWE Group. Especially for our future eTruck portfolio, I and our sales team can derive from this which eTruck specifications will be required and which charging infrastructure will have to be built in the urban environment in the next few years,” Michael Treier summarizes his expectations for the study results.
Image courtesy of MAN
Related story: ZeroEmissionDeliveries – Berlin: T&E Launches Feasibility Study With REWE Group & MAN Truck & Bus