BMW and the SCHERM Group have unveiled an all-electric truck that will be used to transport components between their plants in Munich. BMW says it is the first automaker in Europe to use a 40-ton electric truck for material transport on public roads.
Built by Dutch manufacturer Terberg, the electric 40-ton truck has successfully completed its first test drives and has gone into regular operation starting July 7. The electric truck will travel eight times a day between the SCHERM Group logistics center and the BMW Group plant in Munich, transporting vehicle components such as shock absorbers, springs and steering systems.
The automaker says the electric truck will be exclusively charged with electricity from renewable sources, which means that the vehicle is CO2-free, quiet and generates almost no fine particle pollution. Compared to a diesel engine truck, the electric truck is estimated to save 11.8 tons of CO2 each year – the equivalent of the distance a BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics would travel when going around the world almost three times.
The truck’s battery takes three to four hours to charge and gives it a range of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles). Theoretically, the truck can complete a full production day without any additional recharging.
“Bavaria is a leading industrial and research location. It is crucial that the Bavarian economy is also at the forefront in electric mobility. BMW is making an important contribution to this and is showing that you can succeed on the global market with sustainable products made by innovative companies,” said Bavaria’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Ilse Aigner.
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