Sustainable transport: “We work on directly eliminating CO2 emissions, rather than offsetting them”

According to the European Environment Agency, road freight represents 71,7% of the total transport greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Of this, 27,1% is caused by heavy duty trucks. 

In Trucksters we have a vision: to shape the future of sustainable transport and transform this industry for the better. Trucksters will be the first operator with a 100% electric long-haul route in 2023, operating with several electric trucks in the first few months of 2023. In the latter half of that year it will use zero-emission vehicles on an entire long-haul route.

Trucksters will be the first operator with a 100% electric long-haul route in 2023.

Leading this project is Víctor Ortega, our Head of Sustainability, who agreed to answer some frequently asked questions:

What are Trucksters doing to achieve that goal of a sustainable future for this industry?

There are three key points in our sustainability agenda:

First, we are reducing the industry’s emissions by increasing the modal share of trucking vs. air freight. If you ask how we are able to do that, well, that is thanks to better transit times.

Second,  we are reducing up to 50% the amount of empty kilometers that trucks drive every year thanks to higher density in our corridors, which means that no fuel is wasted.

In early 2023 some electric trucks will hit the road and our goal is to gradually increase that amount

And last, but certainly not least, we have just signed a contract with a manufacturing company for some electric trucks that will hit the road in early 2023 and our goal now is to gradually increase the number of electric trucks in our fleet to be able to electrify a whole route by the last semester of said year.

What is Trucksters’ biggest goal in this project?

We are aiming for a sustainable transport industry. We work on directly eliminating CO2 emissions, rather than offsetting them. Our goal is to change the business model in long-distance transport, making it much more humane and sustainable thanks to the relay system, so we will accelerate the use of electric trucks in the sector without waiting for the future.

We work on eliminating CO2 emissions, so we will accelerate the use of electrictric trucks instead of waiting for the future.

How many electric trucks will join your fleet?

During the first months of 2023 we will have two electric trucks traveling along a particular section of one of the corridors but our plan is to add a total of 10 electric vehicles to our fleet by the end of the year.

What are the main challenges involved in an electrification project such as the one you are proposing?

There are three major obstacles to the electrification of long-distance transport. The first is that batteries have a very limited autonomy in this type of heavy vehicles for long-distance transport, around 300 kilometers. Another aspect to be taken into account is the slowness of charging these large batteries, despite the fact that great progress is being made in this area. Finally, there is a shortage of chargers for heavy trucks on the roads. 

Will Trucksters make the investment to purchase these trucks? 

Indeed, we will make the investment for the purchase of these units. This change in our business model only applies to electric trucks. It’s something we are prepared to do in order to achieve our ultimate goal of electrifying an entire corridor by the end of 2023.

In the case of electric trucks we are willing to change our business model

If so, what investment will you allocate to your electric fleet, and how many of these vehicles will you include in 2023 and beyond?

The size of the investment for a zero-emission electric fleet depends on several aspects. Among the 3 most important are the partners we can find for the installation of charging points, our growth in terms of total customers, and the evolution of the price of the trucks themselves.

What is the investment allocated to achieve this project? I am not only referring to the cost of the trucks

The total investment for the project depends on several factors, such as the investment in the purchase of the electric trucks, on the one hand, the cost of the chargers, which can range from €5,000 to €40,000 based on the charging power. On the other hand, there is also the cost of covering the salaries of the drivers that will be needed. All these factors are highly variable. For example, the evolution of the latter, which can range between €2,000 and €4,000 per professional, is conditioned by the lack of drivers that we currently have in Europe.

The investment needed for this project depends on highly variable factors, so it could range from €5,000 to €40,000

Ultimately, our total focus is on avoiding CO2 emissions through the use of electric trucks versus just reducing emissions with small improvements or offsetting them after the fact. Furthermore, we align ourselves with the “Fit by 55” plan that was launched by the European Commission when it approved the new regulations on road transport emissions.

Did you find this content interesting? To learn more about what we are doing to achieve a sustainable transport sector, click here.