Electric trucks in use: DB Schenker puts the first ten of 150 MAN eTrucks into service

On 29 January, DB Schenker, one of the world's leading logistics service providers and market leader in European land transport, took delivery of the first ten MAN long-distance electric trucks directly from the MAN Truck & Bus plant in Munich to join its fleet. Immediately after the ceremonial handover of the vehicles by Friedrich Baumann, Board Member for Sales and Customer Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus, to Cyrille Bonjean, Executive Vice President Land Transport at DB Schenker in Europe, the drivers themselves transferred their new trucks to the respective DB Schenker locations throughout Germany. From there, the MAN eTGX Ultra semitrailer tractors, which have been specially developed for high loading volume requirements and allow the use of corresponding mega trailers with an interior height of three metres, will be on the road.

These trailers have been used specifically in the automotive segment for years, but also in other areas with high loading space requirements. The high loading volume helps to make transport more environmentally friendly and, in combination with the all-electric MAN eTGX Ulra Low Liner, sustainably reduce CO2 emissions. DB Schenker and MAN have agreed in a Letter of Intent (LOI) 2023 that 100 of the electric lorries will be added to the fleet by 2026.

During the handover of the first MAN eTGX, the two companies also signed a further letter of intent for the delivery of 50 MAN eTGLs. The all-electric 12-tonne truck for urban freight transport can be ordered from April 2025 and is intended to supplement DB Schenker's electric fleet in distribution logistics.

‘We are very proud that the first ten MAN eTGX are now in daily logistics use for DB Schenker. The sustainable decarbonisation of freight transport is our common goal. The new MAN eTruck is not only locally CO2-free, but also fulfils the diverse requirements of our customers. Volume transport is one example of this. No other series-produced electric semitrailer tractor on the market offers such a short wheelbase with maximum battery capacity for trailers with an interior height of three metres. The fact that DB Schenker also wants to rely on MAN for electric distribution transport with the eTGL confirms that our eTruck portfolio offers the right solution for every transport sector,’ explains Friedrich Baumann, Member of the Executive Board for Sales & Customer Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus.

DB Schenker has been pursuing a consistent sustainability strategy for many years. In addition to a continuous switch to alternative drive systems, this also includes a permanent increase in efficiency in logistics.

‘As a pioneer in the transition to zero-emission drives, DB Schenker will continue to invest in sustainable solutions in the future. We are delighted to be the first customer to have the opportunity to put a fleet of 10 MAN eTGXs into operation. Some vehicles will be used in daily scheduled services in our general cargo network in two-shift operation, for example in a daily round trip between our locations in Dortmund and Hanover. Other vehicles will be deployed specifically for our customers in the automotive and consumer sectors,’ explains Cyrille Bonjean, Executive Vice President Land Transport at DB Schenker in Europe, and Marc Pühler, Senior Vice President System Operations at DB Schenker in Europe, adds: ’Today is a special day for DB Schenker. In addition to taking delivery of the first long-haul electric trucks from MAN, we have signed a letter of intent to take delivery of 50 MAN eTGL trucks. An electric 12-tonne truck was previously not available on the market. This is changing with the eTGL. The eTGL is ideal for use on the last mile. We are proud to have been able to contribute our expertise to the development and look forward to the first series vehicle.’

The Ultra Low Liner eTruck MAN eTGX is a pioneer in its class: with a semitrailer height of just 950 mm, a very short wheelbase of 3.75 metres and yet maximum battery capacity, it offers a range of around 500 kilometres. This makes it perfect for applications where maximum loading volume up to three metres interior height is crucial. Thanks to its modular battery concept with a choice of four, five or six battery packs and power levels of 449 and 544 hp, it can be optimally adapted to any transport task. In addition to the standard CCS charging technology (up to 375 kW), it can also be ordered with the new MCS standard with up to one megawatt of charging power, which enables even faster intermediate charging during the driver's break from driving. In addition to the MAN eTGX and eTGS for heavy-duty transport tasks, the MAN eTGL rounds off the MAN electric truck portfolio for light distribution transport. With a range of up to 235 kilometres, fast charging in around 30 minutes and a payload of up to 6,600 kilograms, depending on the body, it offers the ideal combination for quiet and locally CO2-free transport in urban goods logistics.

Transport companies also benefit from MAN's 360-degree eMobility Consulting when switching to electromobility: the advice on switching to electromobility includes customer-specific analyses of vehicle deployment and charging infrastructure requirements. MAN's range of services also includes the provision of charging infrastructure itself through partnerships with charging infrastructure suppliers. In addition, as with conventionally powered trucks, service contracts and financing solutions specially tailored to electric mobility as well as numerous digital services are available for the use of the new electric lions. These include the MAN eReadyCheck, which customers can use to check how their delivery routes can be driven purely electrically, as well as the MAN Charge & Go charging service including charging card, which enables simple, consolidated charging planning and billing for international routes.

‘We train the Future’ is the brand promise of MAN ProfiDrive, MAN's own department for driver training, professional driver qualification and special industry coaching. Training courses for electric vehicles are increasingly in demand from customers. This is because electromobility not only requires knowledge about the safe handling of high-voltage technology, but also significantly changes the driving task. Whereas with diesel engines, braking is avoided as far as possible by adopting a fluid and anticipatory driving style in order to save fuel, a different rule now applies: decelerating with the accelerator pedal is a must in order to recover energy through recuperation. Learning this and putting it into practice is part of the handover training that MAN ProfiDrive offers to all drivers and fleet managers who are switching to electromobility, as it does for DB Schenker.

The first ten MAN eTGXs are being deployed at DB Schenker by the TIP Group, one of the leading manufacturer-independent commercial vehicle rental companies and service providers for the transport and logistics industry. By providing the MAN eTrucks, TIP enables companies such as DB Schenker to react flexibly and quickly to the growing demands of sustainable logistics. ‘Our aim is to equip our customers with modern, environmentally friendly vehicles and support them on their path to greater sustainability,’ explains Oliver Bange, Vice President Central Europe Region of the TIP Group. The company is actively committed to a more sustainable future in the logistics industry. With its focus on the rental of zero-emission vehicles, TIP is making an important contribution to the introduction of zero-emission solutions. This innovative approach not only supports the decarbonisation of the industry, but also consistently drives the transformation towards more climate-friendly logistics.

The first ten MAN eTrucks for DB Schenker are being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport as part of the directive on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems and associated refuelling and charging infrastructure (KsNI). The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and applications are approved by the Federal Office of Logistics and Mobility.