Swiss recycling company Schneider Umweltservice has introduced seven electric trucks to its fleet, representing 5.5% of its vehicles. The company has installed charging infrastructure at its facilities in partnership with DC charging provider Kempower and Scania Schweiz.
The electric trucks currently service waste and recyclables collection in Zurich and central Switzerland, with the company aiming to electrify 90% of its transport operations by 2028.
The Mönchaltorfer site features four Kempower charging satellites with eight charging points delivering 380kW total output, while the Volketswil facility offers 16 charging points at 160kW each, totalling 800kW. Both locations have been designed for future expansion.
Philipp Oppolzer, regional business development director in Central Europe at Kempower, explained the infrastructure considerations: “In order to benefit from the electrification of trucks as quickly as possible, the charging infrastructure must also be correctly dimensioned. This must be optimised in terms of battery capacity, the maximum charging current of the vehicles and the power actually required for the round trip.”
The company utilises Kempower’s ChargEye management system to monitor charging operations. Sabrina Huber, environmental engineer at Schneider Umweltservice, described the system’s benefits: “The software allows us to track the charging process in detail, from charging progress to any charging errors. We are now also able to regulate power utilisation. The charging points supply the necessary power evenly throughout the night. This prevents a peak if five drivers connect their electric trucks to the power supply at the same time.”
The charging infrastructure is powered by on-site solar installations. The Volketswil facility’s 4,000 solar modules generate 1.6m kWh of electricity annually.
Schneider Umweltservice plans to expand its electric vehicle infrastructure, with new charging stations scheduled for installation in Perlen and Chrüzegg this year, followed by Regensdorf and Adliswil in 2025.
