FedEx Express is trialing the use of an all-electric eActros 300 tractor for domestic line-haul operations from its Eindhoven station in the Netherlands.
For the two-week pilot period, the tractor from Mercedes-Benz Trucks will be paired with an existing FedEx-owned trailer, transporting shipments collected from larger customers to FedEx hubs elsewhere in the Netherlands. The tractor will recharge on-site at the Eindhoven station during downtime, using a 40kW temporary charging solution.
“Taking opportunities to test a variety of solutions in different geographical and operational circumstances is a critical part of evaluating solutions as they emerge on the market. This two-week test presents an opportunity to gain welcome hands-on experience using new technologies in heavier vehicle types and build a better picture of how such a vehicle and solution could be applied in line-haul operations in Europe,” said Mark Timmermans, VP of the European road network at FedEx Express Europe.
FedEx Express previously piloted the Mercedes-Benz Trucks eActros 300 as a rigid truck, using it in operations in Basel, Switzerland, for two weeks in 2023. The 19 ton fully electric vehicle was used to fulfill parcel pickup and delivery routes, journeying between Basel and Geneva and back before recharging overnight at the FedEx facility near Basel Airport.
Elsewhere in ground operations, FedEx Express has recently added electric vehicles to parcel pickup and delivery operations in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as well as in the UK, Spain and France.
In March 2021, FedEx Express announced its goal to electrify its pickup and delivery fleet globally through a phased procurement approach. The company’s goal is that 50% of newly procured vehicles will be electric by 2025, rising to 100% of all new vehicle orders by 2030. London in the UK welcomed the first FedEx Express UK electric vehicles last year.