Freight forwarder Rhenus Logistics has announced that it is testing the new FUSO eCanter electric vehicle from the Daimler Group.

The first all-electric truck is being trialled for the company’s’ home delivery operations, with a view to a future roll-out across the wider business.

Rhenus Logistics has taken receipt of three environmentally-friendly FUSO eCanter trucks which will be used for its German operations from the beginning of January 2018. The vehicles, each expected to cover around 50,000 kilometres a year, will be tested for a period of two years and are expected to enable Rhenus to save up to 137 tonnes of direct CO2 emissions throughout that period.

Nicolas Rottmann, managing director of Rhenus Home Delivery, commented: “We were the first German company to test a hybrid truck from the MercedesBenz innovation fleet in 2011 and, since then, we’ve introduced more eco-friendly measures within our business unit. We’ve initiated paperless deliveries, for example, erected solar panels and installed energy-saving LED lamps at our warehouses.

“We’re now continuing our sustainable corporate philosophy with the fully electric FUSO eCanter vehicles. Using them in the Berlin urban area makes sense, as the journeys between our central warehouse in Hoppegarten and our end customers in the city centre are short.”

Rhenus Logistics is one of four companies testing the FUSO eCanter all-electric trucks in Europe. The other three businesses are DHL, DB Schenker and Dachser.