Krummen Kerzer, a Swiss road transport firm, has travelled 3000 kilometres in a Volvo electric truck from Switzerland to Spain and back. While Krummen’s electric Volvo travelled a record-breaking distance in the history of electric road transportation, it also revealed the shortcomings of available road infrastructure.
The lorry was laden with 20 tons of Casa de Mas oranges, the company has been transporting citrus fruits for years with Krummen Kerzer and was excited to be part of the mission. “In addition to the organic cultivation of our fruit, sustainable transport to Switzerland is an important concern for us. We are therefore particularly pleased that the test with the e-truck was successful,” says Boris Jost from Casa del Mas.
The record-breaking trip from Switzerland to Valencia and back was a success. Boris Jost, owner and managing director of Casa del Mas, a network of Swiss citrus fruit outlets, and Peter Krummen, co-managing director of road freight firm Krummen Kerzers, warmly greeted the Volvo FH Electric after the adventure in Zurich.
“The trip to Spain sets new standards. We are confident that e-trucks will be part of everyday life on long distances in a few years’ time,” says Peter Krummen.
When the company began planning the route to Spain, it became clear that, while the journey from Kerzers, Switzerland to Barcelona, Spain is essentially feasible, the final 450km to Canals are difficult because there are only a few charging stations along the route, and are difficult to reach by truck. When summing up the results, Krummen faced some disappointing facts: the trip to Spain took a day longer than with a diesel truck, the fuel costs were higher and scheduling was more intensive.
Nevertheless, the course has been set. With the expansion of e-charging stations on European motorways and advances in battery technology, e-trucks will also play an important role in long-distance transport, the company hopes.“Record or not: what is decisive for us is the fact that this trip gave us important insights into the use of e-trucks in long-distance traffic and almost three tonnes of CO2 were saved,” says Peter Krummen.
