Vehicle manufacturer Renault Trucks and supply chain company Geodis have partnered to design an electric heavy truck for urban logistics that can meet the requirements of city-centre freight transport.
Credit: Renault Trucks
Credit: Renault Trucks
The companies have agreed to develop a 16-tonne electric urban truck, at a comparable cost to that of a diesel vehicle - a prerequisite for the widespread adoption of alternative power units.
Delivery of the prototype is scheduled for the end of 2022. It will be produced at Renault Trucks’ site in Blainville-sur-Orne, France. The truck will be trialled for urban deliveries in Paris, France in 2023.
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This real-world testing will be followed by a phase of adaptation of the vehicle which would incorporate feedback from drivers concerning comfort of use, practicality, recharging, etc, followed by a study to optimise the total cost of ownership.
The companies initiated the project on the understanding that vehicles with a capacity of more than 3.5 tonnes will remain at the core of urban distribution despite challenging changes in urban transport.
These changes include emission regulations, restricted access and the proliferation of different modes of mobility (cargo bikes, bicycles, scooters, etc) sharing the public space.
The project, named Oxygen, will work toward integrating all the requirements and functions of city-centre delivery, including eliminating pollution and noise and improving active and passive safety to better co-exist with all road users (pedestrians and people using soft modes of transport).
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Marie-Christine Lombard, the CEO of Geodis, said: “The environmental emergency combined with the growth of e-commerce and the implementation of low-emission zones in major French cities means that we urgently need to step up the decarbonisation of transport. This is the objective of Geodis in forming this partnership with Renault Trucks. We want to quickly provide concrete answers to the issue of sustainable urban logistics.”
Bruno Blin, the president of Renault Trucks, added: “We have noticed that the image of the truck is changing; at last it is being perceived as an indispensable tool. The purpose of the Oxygen project, in which Renault Trucks is working alongside Geodis, is to design a truck that will seamlessly blend into the urban landscape, among other road users in areas with traffic and even in pedestrian zones. This new truck will be designed for the driver’s working comfort and safety, and for the safety of city dwellers.”
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