100% Electric Big Rig Hits German Roads

This week, Europe’s first 100% electric tractor-trailer truck took to the roads in Germany, courtesy of car giant BMW. The 40-ton lorry can travel up to 62 miles per charge in an average of three or four hours and will transport vehicle components, including shock absorbers, springs, and steering systems, across two miles, seven times a day, within the city of Munich.

The vehicle was developed by BMW in conjunction with German automotive service provider the SCHERM Group, and is based on a model from Dutch truck manufacturer Terberg. The rig is advertised as “CO2-free, quiet and generates almost no fine particle pollution.” It will save up to 11.8 tons of carbon dioxide per year, compared to a standard diesel engine truck.

The quantity of greenhouse gasses emitted by goods transportation vehicles is set to surpass that of passenger vehicles on a global scale by 2030, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates that medium-to-heavy-duty vehicles account for around 25% of greenhouse gas emissions and oil use in the US, so efforts such as BMW’s electric truck to reduce CO₂ effusions are very welcome.

Jürgen Maidl, head of logistics at BMW Group, said, “With this project we will gain valuable information on what will be possible with electric trucks in the future for city logistics.”

Thank you Think Progress for providing us with this information.