Tesco unveils logistics initiatives with sustainability in mind
THE RETAILER has launched the UK’s first commercially used fully electric heavy freight articulated trucks.
Two new 37 tonne DAF electric vehicles will transport food and other products from Wentloog rail terminal outside Cardiff to Tesco’s distribution centre in Magor, Wales, in partnership with logistics and international freight forwarding company FSEW.
Heavy goods vehicles make up around 16 percent of the UK’s domestic transport emissions and addressing this can play a significant role in delivering the UK’s net zero ambitions. Despite significant advances in battery technology and charging infrastructure for smaller vehicles, there hasn’t been a commercially viable solution for electric haulage and distribution until now.
These first two lorries will replace around 65,000 diesel-fuelled road miles with clean green energy, removing 87.4 tonnes of CO2e per year. To power the new service FSEW has installed charging points at its site in South Wales that provide enough energy to power these large vehicles for 100 miles before needing to charge again. At around 30 miles each way the Wentloog – Magor journey is an ideal location to understand the potential and range of these lorries for use throughout the UK and elsewhere in Tesco’s fleet.
Rail
Tesco and Direct Rail Services (DRS) have partnered to introduce a refrigerated rail freight service in the UK.
The service will distribute chilled goods from Tilbury to Coatbridge by low CO2 rail twice a day, seven days a week. Using rail has significant environmental benefits. The 415-mile route will use DRS’s Class 88 bi-mode electric locomotives which can run on electricity and produce zero exhaust and greenhouse gas emissions. This service alone will take at least 17,000 containers off the road each year, saving Tesco 7.3 million road miles and nearly 9,000 tonnes of CO2e.
