Apr 15 2025
MAN: Own logistics with eTrucks in the future
MAN Truck & Bus wants to decarbonise its logistics by increasing the use of eTrucks to transport its own goods and vehicles. The tender for the future use of battery electric vehicles (BEV) on the first almost 40 routes has now been launched. The contracts are to be awarded promptly to enable the start of series operation in 2026. In total, trucks drive up to 165 million kilometres per year in MAN's inbound network. ‘We want to take a significant step towards green logistics. The tender for the use of battery-electric trucks is an important milestone for MAN on the way to converting our own supply chains to zero-emission drives and sustainable cost efficiency. In this way, we also want to show our customers in our own operations what advantages the use of battery-electric trucks in the transport sector already offers for the environment and for our own operations,’ comments Michael Kobriger, the MAN Truck & Bus Executive Board member responsible for Production and Logistics.
Together with DB Schenker, one of the world's leading logistics service providers and market leader in European overland transport, MAN is currently already carrying out a test run with a fully electric eTGX, which is making two round trips a day on the Bamberg – Munich – Bamberg and Bamberg – Nuremberg – Bamberg routes. ‘We have been using the vehicle for MAN plant logistics for a few weeks now. Our initial experiences have been positive. The vehicle has an average consumption of 121 kilowatt hours – and that in winter. That really is outstanding. The feedback from the drivers has also been consistently positive. The driving experience is super and the workmanship of the vehicles is excellent. The drivers are happy. We are satisfied. What more could you want!’ says William Kratsch, Head of Direct Operations at DB Schenker. At the end of January, DB Schenker added ten all-electric MAN eTGXs to its fleet, which have since been deployed on various routes throughout the country.
Development of charging infrastructure in the MAN network
The charging infrastructure at the MAN plant in Munich has been expanded accordingly so that fully electric lorries in plant logistics can charge up quickly and directly near the unloading point. At the same time, a total of four charging stations with a charging capacity of 400 kW each are being built at the MAN service centre in Karlsfeld, with enough space so that they can also be easily accessed by complete semitrailer and trailer combinations. The Dachau, Nuremberg and Salzgitter sites have also been equipped with the appropriate charging infrastructure. The charging stations in Karlsfeld are part of the cooperation with the energy company E.ON, as part of which around 170 locations with around 400 charging points for the public charging of electric trucks are being created across Europe. E.ON and MAN are investing in the new charging locations, which are being built along the existing MAN service network and at which commercial vehicles from other manufacturers can also charge publicly. Around 125 locations are planned in Germany alone. Read more
Source: MAN