MAN electric trucks hitting Austrian roads in November

Members of the Austrian sustainable logistics council (CNL) will be able to test electrically-powered MAN trucks from November 2017.

MAN Truck & Bus and CNL signed a memorandum of understanding on February 20 at the MAN production site in Steyr, where the Munich-based vehicle manufacturer makes its MAN TGL and MAN TGM distribution transport vehicles.

CNL wants to up its use of eTrucks for inner-city and suburban delivery transportation from 2020 onwards to make an active contribution towards reducing emissions in cities.

In signing the agreement, both MAN and CNL are kicking off the introduction of electric drives in medium and heavy distribution transport with a permitted gross weight of 12 to 26 tonnes.

The plan is to start producing MAN TGM electric vehicles from the end of 2018.

“As the truck modification centre is also based here, the Steyr site is perfect for producing our first electric trucks,” says MAN Truck & Bus board chairperson Joachim Drees.

More than 15 of the largest Austrian companies in trade, logistics and production have united in CNL to take a step forward in sustainable logistics.

“The partnership with CNL offers MAN the ideal opportunity to further develop existing technology for series production by using the practical experiences of members of the consortium. It will also help us gear our new product portfolio to customers’ requirements,” says MAN executive board member Dr Carsten Intra.

MAN 6×2 chassis featuring refrigerated truck bodies, swap containers and drinks containers are in the pipeline. A semitrailer combination also forms part of the scope of testing.

In addition to field testing, it is incorporating the development of services specific to e-Trucks into the process which involves more than just simple workshop service.

“In e-mobility, there is more of a focus on practical operational advice and support to ensure we are providing the customer with the right means of transport to suit their needs. As manufacturers, we will start to place a greater emphasis on analysing customer needs,” says Intra.

“MAN has a clear roadmap for its trucks and buses when it comes to electromobility. At the end of 2019 we will be going into series production for an all-electric city bus, with series production of the eTruck to begin in early 2021,” says Drees.

We will be using a flexible modular assembly of drive components that we can use for different applications,” he says.

Test vehicles will start at nine CNL partners – Gebrüder Weiss, Hofer, METRO, Quehenberger, REWE, Schachinger, SPAR and Stiegl – in November 2017.

REWE International AG was a founding member of CNL in 2014.

“A key focus of this merger of the largest firms from the trade, logistics services and production, which is unique in Europe, is the development of electric commercial vehicles for suburban and inner-city transport,” says REWE International AG chief executive officer Frank Hensel.

We need to work together to focus on this development to help reduce emissions,” says Hensel.

Magna Steyr will also use a test vehicle in parts logistics,

“Sustainability and leading innovation are part of the Magna Steyr corporate philosophy. In future, we will use quiet, clean eTrucks for parts transportation at our plant in Graz,” says Magna Steyr executive vice president of sales and marketing Gerd Brusius.