Transco fleet of six Volvo e-trucks and responds to customer needs – electromobility (e-mobility), fleet management | News | LOGISTRA

Transco, with its operational headquarters in Singen, has invested in electromobility. As the logistics provider announced, it has been using six battery-electric semi-trailer tractors from the manufacturer Volvo since January 2024. This means that almost ten percent of the company’s own large trucks in the German freight areas are electrified.

The engines in the new electric trucks produce 600 hp and have a range of around 250 km. This means that the application is still technically limited for regional transport, for example company transport for key customers, transport to and from Switzerland as well as transport original and car to connected transport stations.

After two months, Gerhard Reger, fleet manager at Transco, gives a positive conclusion:

“Cars work in everyday life and drivers get along well with them.”

Considering current electricity and fuel prices, the cost implications are not apparent, but customer interest in CO2-neutral transport is very high.

Climate-friendly freight transport: demand is increasing, economic efficiency must be enhanced

Rail transportation continues to have the largest climate impact for Transco. Transalpine transport, Transco’s core business area, is carried out almost exclusively in unaccompanied collective transport.

“Our customers are now increasingly demanding climate-friendly road transport,” reports Christian Bücheler, managing partner of the Transco Group. “By using electric trucks, we help our customers reduce CO2 emissions in their value chain. This means our investment in electric trucks becomes a tool for customer acquisition and customer loyalty.

In the future, Bücheler sees a combination of vehicles for his company and the entire transportation industry. Instead of diesel fuel, HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) can be used. The electric truck will travel on designated routes with appropriate charging infrastructure.

“The third new type of vehicle will be hydrogen,” predicts Bücheler. “However, hydrogen costs still need to come down significantly and availability must be ensured.”

For the fleet manager, the LNG truck also has its right to exist as an integration technology.

In sustainable transport and alternative drives.

“The era of natural gas began at Transco in 2014,” explains Bücheler. “We are also very early with battery electric trucks.”

Transco’s boss expects new acquisition strategies from shipping companies in the future: brand loyalty plays a lesser role. The race goes to the manufacturer who can provide the lowest possible use for the respective vehicle technology. Bücheler also sees freight forwarding companies as energy producers in the future:

“Diesel can only be produced by those who own an oil well and an oil refinery. Things are different with electricity. We already generate electricity on our hall roofs. I can imagine that we will make more investments in the expansion of our energy production infrastructure in the future.