DB Schenker signs electric deal with MAN
International logistics provider DB Schenker has signed an agreement with MAN Truck & Bus which will see a raft of new MAN eTrucks integrated into its operations.
DB Schenker plans to add 100 of the electric vehicles to its fleet by 2026, with the first vehicles set to be delivered in the first half of next year.
The first MAN eTrucks will be produced in small series at the manufactuer’s Munich headquarters; and with the signing of this agreement, DB Schenker will be their first pilot customer.
The first of the deliveries for DB Schenker in 2024 will be so-called ultra semitrailer tractors, which will enable the transport of trailers with an internal height of three metres. The operator will be supported by MAN Transport Solutions in areas including route analysis, charging strategy, charging infrastructure planning and energy demand optimisation.
“DB Schenker and MAN are pacing the path to an electric future together,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus.
“We are very pleased to have our first customer for the new eTruck. The demand in the market for this fully electric vehicle is already enormous. The topic is now really picking up speed, also because more and more of our customers are setting themselves extremely ambitious decarbonisation targets. This has a direct impact on the logistics chains.
“However, we will only be able to achieve a sustainable mobility turnaround in heavy goods transport with the appropriate political support. This concerns, among other things, the rapid development of the charging infrastructure and also the further design of the funding framework for the acquisition of electric trucks.”
Cyrille Bonjean, head of land transport at DB Schenker Europe, added: “We want to build up practical experience with e-trucks as early as possible. In this way, we can quickly create an offer for the economy to make supply chains more climate-friendly. That’s why it was important for us to get the first MAN eTrucks. This brings us another step closer to our goal of being net zero on the road in land transport by 2040.”
