Duvenbeck Archives

A lower chassis and battery-powered too – they are the main features of a new generation of emission-free truck tractor units that the freight forwarding and logistics company, Duvenbeck, has welcomed into its fleet.

The new vehicle is a so-called ‘low deck’ tractor unit. Low deck means that it can only haul trailers with an interior loading height of three metres due to its low chassis height. These trailers, which are described as mega trailers, are particularly efficient and suitable for services in the automobile industry, because they enable the space to be fully used in the best possible way. The low-deck tractor unit is based on the MID CAB model in Volvo’s FM range of vehicles. It has been electrified by the Volvo subsidiary, Designwerk Technologies, which has its headquarters in Switzerland.

Duvenbeck is using the vehicle for highly productive shuttle services for selected customers in the automobile industry – for example, between Herne in Germany and Ghent in Belgium. The battery-powered version is the first low-deck tractor unit that Duvenbeck is using for long-distance services in Germany.

“We’re taking another step towards electrifying our fleet by using the battery-powered electric tractor unit. In our role as a logistics partner for the automobile industry, we’ll support our customers’ transformation process towards e-mobility by providing even more electrical and eco-friendly transport services for goods in future,” says Bernd Reining, the Fleet Manager at Duvenbeck, explaining the latest development.

“The new low-deck electric truck has already demonstrated its suitability for long-distance services during the last few weeks. If the battery is charged to a level of 340 kilowatt hours, the vehicle is able to travel up to 275 kilometres – even when fully loaded. When used in conjunction with the suitable charging infrastructure, this electric truck is making a market-ready and long-term contribution to reducing environmentally-damaging emissions in our customers’ transport networks,” says Robert Frehen, the Chief of Staff at Duvenbeck, adding his comments.

The freight forwarding and logistics company, Duvenbeck, is taking another step towards switching its fleet to low-emission vehicles. The firm tested a fully electric terminal tractor unit at its business site in Rastatt in July this year. It was used to move uncoupled (semi-)trailers at the factory site of a vehicle manufacturer.

“The terminal tractor unit made by the Dutch manufacturer, Terberg, has completed its first operations in everyday service without causing any problems,” says Volker Mürb, the Duvenbeck Branch Manager in Rastatt, summarising the results. “The performance of the electric motor is in no way inferior to that of a diesel engine. It was easily possible to complete a day‘s shift without having to recharge the battery.”

Duvenbeck manages the trailer yard for a vehicle manufacturer. This involves a large-scale parking area where the truck trailers and swap bodies, which are full of components that have been supplied, are made available so that they can be driven to the relevant unloading points at the factory. Duvenbeck uses so-called handling vehicles for this purpose and operates ten of them at Rastatt. Duvenbeck completes several hundred handling movements there every day. Testing an emission-free electric variant forms part of the company’s response to the increasing calls for sustainability by customers in the automobile industry.

Duvenbeck and the customer will now examine whether the test should be turned into a long-term phase lasting one year. The company has used tractor units powered by a diesel engine to move the trailers up to now. The capacity of the battery of the Terberg YT203-EV electric variant, which has been tested, is 150 kilowatt hours (kWh) and the unit is roughly two-and-a-half times more expensive than the diesel version. It is also necessary to have the appropriate charging infrastructure. “Overall, any switch to electrically powered terminal tractor units would entail significant additional investments,” Mürb adds.

Duvenbeck has been working in the trailer yard management business in Rastatt for more than 25 years. Its services include coordinating and scheduling the incoming and outgoing truck trailers and swap bodies as well as opening, closing and making available the trailers, depending on the vehicle manufacturer’s needs and production procedures; Duvenbeck is also responsible for securing loads. Duvenbeck’s complete fleet includes 1,500 articulated units, consisting of a tractor unit and trailer, 3,500 trailers and 1,000 swap bodies. They are mainly used for customers operating in the automotive industry.

Tag: Duvenbeck

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