sennder and Cabot transport with electric heavy-duty trucks

The intra-European pilot project by sennder and Cabot Corporation paves the way for emission-free transport, transporting over 17.2 tons from Rotterdam to Antwerp and back. The cross-border use of the 40-ton truck demonstrates the potential of electric trucks for delivering commercial goods.

(Berlin/Botlek) sennder, Europe’s leading digital freight forwarder, has partnered with Cabot, a global leader in specialty chemicals, to invest in cross-border, emission-free transport with electric trucks in Europe. In a pilot project for electric initiatives, sennder has successfully conducted a transport of over 17.2 tons of industrial goods for Cabot from Botlek in the Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium, and back to the base, covering a distance of more than 300 km. Together, the partners aim to accelerate sustainability in the logistics industry.

The pilot project aims to test the long-term viability of 40-ton electric trucks to set the course for emission-free transport. Breytner Post, an operator of emission-free electric trucks, provided the 40-ton vehicle with a charging range of 150 km and a maximum transport weight of 50 tons in collaboration with their joint venture partner Hn Post & Zonen. The heavy-duty truck was fully powered by electricity; only one charge per round trip of less than two hours was required. These occurred in the Netherlands, a country with one of the densest charging infrastructures in the world. The pilot project highlights the potential of electric trucks for intra-European transport: with exclusive use of the currently available infrastructure on highways, a 40-ton truck can cover more than 300 km of transport distance.

Logistics industry at a turning point

As a digital freight forwarder, sennder connects commercial shippers like Cabot with transport companies like Breytner. The logistics industry is at a turning point: on the way to sustainable road logistics, commercial shippers are increasingly seeking low-CO2 transport solutions. Shippers and governments are committed to reducing their CO2 emissions to zero by 2040 and 2050, respectively. To achieve the significant emission reduction targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement by 2030, new options for sustainable transport in the logistics industry must be created. sennder invests in sustainable transport to offer its customers solutions such as electric trucks or low-carbon fuels that enable shippers to effectively decarbonize their transport.

Recently, Cabot announced its goal to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050. To promote the transition to a low-carbon economy, the company collaborates with suppliers that offer CO2 offsets and sustainable solutions that minimize environmental impacts. sennder and Cabot are considering further partnerships and initiatives to increase the percentage of emission-free and low-emission transport in the industry.

Proven that electric is possible

Graham Major-Ex, Head of Green Business at sennder, says: “Together with Cabot, we have successfully implemented our first emission-free intra-European transport with an electric truck and demonstrated the potential for the industry. This is an achievement that our team can be proud of. sennder aims to provide commercial shippers with access to the best solutions for low-CO2 transport in the industry; sustainable fuels as well as emission-free electric vehicles are essential building blocks for sustainable transport. sennder relies on strong partners like Cabot and Breytner because only together can the industry become fit for climate-friendly road logistics. It has long been questioned whether fully loaded 40-ton trucks can conduct emission-free transport solely based on electric drive. We have shown that this is not only possible but can already be realized today.”

Enabling a more sustainable future

François Zehr, Global Logistics Director at Cabot, says: “As part of our sustainability initiatives, we see great potential in achieving our net-zero goals by transitioning our truck fleet to electric and other low-carbon vehicles. Collaborating with suppliers is crucial to reducing emissions across the entire value chain. We are proud to collaborate with sennder and Breytner on this pilot project as we advance low-emission transport and enable a more sustainable future.”

Photo: © sennder