Food logistics company Bidfood Netherlands is to double its electric fleet by the end of the first quarter of 2025 with the addition of 25 Renault Trucks E-Tech vehicles. This expansion will bring the company’s total number of electric trucks to 50.
Bidfood Netherlands began its transition to electric vehicles in 2021, operating 25 Renault Trucks E-Tech vehicles. According to the company, these lorries have collectively prevented 230 tonnes of CO2 emissions since their deployment.
“These tangible results show that electromobility is not a distant ambition but an operational and effective reality. It allows us to reduce our environmental footprint while meeting our customers’ growing expectations for sustainability,” said Bidfood Netherlands MD Dick Slootweg.
The electric lorries are exclusively charged at Bidfood’s own facilities. Three years ago, the company recognised the need to increase its electrical capacity and invested in upgrading its infrastructure to support the charging of electric trucks. Today, charging stations are installed at all 18 of Bidfood’s sites in the Netherlands.
Bidfood Netherlands purchased all its electric trucks independently, but the funding structure for the two batches of vehicles differed. For the first batch of 25 trucks, Bidfood applied for and received several governmental subsidies. However, for the second batch, no subsidies were granted.
The total cost of ownership (TCO) for electric trucks compared to diesel trucks depends on multiple factors, including energy prices. While electric trucks have a higher upfront purchase cost, Bidfood notes that they benefit from lower energy costs per kilometre, as electricity is generally cheaper than diesel.
Renault Trucks Netherlands has worked closely with Bidfood over the past three years to integrate electric vehicles into its operations and address logistical challenges.
“For three years, we have worked closely with Bidfood to integrate electric vehicles into their fleet and address the operational challenges of their logistics,” said Renault Trucks Netherlands MD Jérôme Berthelet.
The Renault Trucks E-Tech D and D Wide models, which are specifically designed for urban and suburban logistics, are manufactured at Renault Trucks’ Blainville-sur-Orne factory in France. This facility is the first European site to produce electric lorries in series and has been operational since March 2020. The delivery to Bidfood Netherlands also marked a milestone for Renault Trucks, as the company produced its 2,000th electric truck at this factory.
