BMW introduced a short-haul all-electric tractor trailer in Munich, Germany last week, the first time a 40-ton truck has gone into regular service in Europe with an electric motor.
The vehicle has a range of about 100 kilometres (62 miles) on a single charge, and charging takes three to four hours. “Its first deployment will entail transporting vehicle components—such as shock absorbers, springs and steering systems—over stretches of less than two miles across Munich seven times a day,” Think Progress reports.
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The big rig, supplied by Dutch manufacturer Terberg, will save 11.8 tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to the equivalent diesel engine.
“According to the European Commission, transportation is the only major sector in the EU in which greenhouse gases are still rising—and they are 20.5% higher than they were in 1990,” Phillips writes. “Heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for about a quarter of CO2 emissions from EU road transport and about 6% of total EU emissions.”
