The US firm Mars and Einride, a transport technology company, are partnering to integrate a fleet of 300 electric and optimized heavy trucks into their network across Europe by 2030.
Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars, stated: “Partnering with Einride to deploy 300 electric heavy trucks across Europe is a great example of how we collaborate and leverage our scale to drive real action and change.”
“This partnership is our latest investment to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050, implementing the actions outlined in the Mars Net Zero Roadmap with a focus on improving and optimizing logistics, redesigning networks, transforming the type of transport we rely on, and adopting the electrification of our truck fleets,” added Parkin.
The first delivery took place last week, involving two electric trucks and charging points powered by Einride’s Saga operating system.
The route is in Germany, between Mars Petcare’s factory in Verden and its distribution center in Minden, separated by approximately 90 kilometers.
On this initial route, the two electric heavy-duty trucks (Mercedes eActros 300 Tractor) will save up to 193,000 miles (312,000 kilometers) per year on the return route from Verden to Minden.
To support the transition to an electric fleet, Einride and Mars have installed four high-power electric truck charging points at their German Petcare facilities.
Robert Falck, CEO and Founder of Einride, said: “To build a resilient future, we must take steps to decarbonize transportation and enable future-ready operations.”
“This partnership exemplifies Mars’ commitment to taking action, as we jointly implement an intelligent charging system that will reduce emissions, increase efficiency, and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability at scale,” Falck added.
Following the German example, the strategic partnership will begin to expand, and routes in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are expected to follow later in 2024.
These fully electric operations will be complemented by an autonomous pilot, implemented in 2025.
The introduction of electric transport networks is part of Mars’ commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
This includes a new goal to halve carbon emissions by 2030 across its value chain.
To achieve this, they will seek to transform the type of transport the business relies on and the sources of energy used.
As part of its net-zero roadmap, Mars is investing one billion dollars globally over the next three years to drive climate action across the company and will continue to commit financial resources as needed until the assumed goals are achieved.
