SUSTAINABLE BEER CAN. THE FUSO eCANTER AS A SPECIAL TANK TRUCK FOR HEINEKEN BREWERS.

"Heineken is pursuing ambitious sustainability goals. To achieve this, we look at the entire value chain, which of course also includes transport,” explains Hans Böhm, Managing Director of the Dutch brewery. That’s why Heineken now uses a green truck to deliver to cafés and pubs in Amsterdam’s historic canal district.

In both senses of the word, because the unusual 7.5 tonne truck is not only painted in Heineken green, but is also locally emission-free and quiet on the road – it is a FUSO eCanter. According to Heineken, the electrically powered light truck with a special body is the first beer tanker of its kind in the world. Its deployment is part of “Brewing a better World”, Heineken’s global sustainability campaign, which includes reducing the brewery’s carbon footprint.

Carl van der Wielen, Manager Tankbeer at Heineken, was won over by the eCanter: „We chose the FUSO eCanter because it offers the best ratio of size, weight and zero emissions.” In fact, the brewery makes a very good cut in this respect, because the all-electric light truck can transport 3,000 litres, almost 50 per cent more beer at once than a comparable diesel truck loaded with stainless steel barrels. The eCanter’s low tare weight of 3,335 kilograms, combined with its high chassis load capacity of 4.155 tonnes, and the barrel-like lightweight tank design from the manufacturer Duotank make it possible.

From the Heineken brewery in Den Bosch, south of Amsterdam, a large tanker truck brings 20,000 litres of fresh Heineken, Amstel or Brand to a city hub on the outskirts of the metropolis. There, the beer is pumped into the small electric tanker, which supplies up to five customers in one trip. Once at the premises, the delivery driver then simply “”taps”” the load from the oversized beer can on the eCanter into the on-site storage tanks.

The two-metre wide and 5.3-metre long mini tanker is made for the narrow streets and small alleys of Amsterdam’s old town. With a short wheelbase of 3,400mm and its small turning circle, the eCanter can be easily manoeuvred around all bends. Moreover, with its 7.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW), it complies with the access restriction imposed by the city to protect the structural fabric of bridges and quays. This requirement is one of the reasons why Heineken does not use a large e-truck for deliveries.

The total 82 kWh power from its six high-voltage lithium-ion batteries give the FUSO eCanter a range of around 100 kilometres. Charging at a fast-charging connection takes about one hour. According to Heineken, the electric tanker is charged exclusively with green electricity. This means that the all-electric beer tanker already meets the strict requirements of the zero-emission zone for delivery traffic, which will come into force in Amsterdam from 2025.

“I am very pleased that with the eCanter tanker we have found a sustainable way to transport our beer – without exhaust fumes and soot particles and whisper quiet to boot,” affirms Heineken boss Hans Böhm, and he is certain: “This new vehicle concept means a better quality of life for everyone who lives, works or visits the city centre here.”