As of April 2020, AB InBev will be supplying cafes with the first Belgian e-truck

This very first e-truck deal is a collaboration between AB InBev and MAN Truck & Bus. The truck is OEM (original equipment manufacturer) series produced in Austria, being one of the first 10 in Europe. After a few demo projects, MAN is ready to commercialize the very first e-truck. AB InBev is committed to expand its delivery fleet of low/no emission vehicles. "We are extremely proud of this partnership with MAN," adds Martens. “It’s the first time there are OEM, series produced E trucks ordered.”  

First 10 in Europe  

"MAN and AB InBev are both pioneers. The purchase is effectively the first e-truck for Belgium because it is the first 26-tonner in the distribution segment for urban deliveries, not for long-distance transport. In turn, MAN is the first manufacturer to bring 50 electric vehicles onto the market, a complete range in own production and management, with the integrated R&D - Sales - Aftersales organization," says Patrick Opdebeeck, Head of International Key Account at MAN. "This involves a total production of 50 pieces (for 10 European countries), with AB InBev being delivered in a first batch of 10 vehicles.” 

165km battery  

The MAN e-truck has 12 18.6 kWh batteries, which are placed under the cabin and along the sides of the frame and have a capacity of at least 70% after 8 years. The truck will have at least 165km of autonomy, which AB InBev will deliver for 4 days.  In Leuven for example, an average city trip from depot to city and cafes is about 20km. That comes down to an average of 40km a day, since a truck drives twice. Opdebeeck: "The technology is very fresh and innovative. The development and production of the trucks is carried out entirely by MAN itself in Steyer, Austria. What is also unique is the fact that this is the first series 26-tonn truck in the distribution segment.” 
 

The e-truck replaces an existing diesel truck and thus ensures a CO2 reduction in the entire AB InBev fleet of1 17 city delivery trucks. Whether the e-truck will actually drive in Leuven has not yet been determined. "The e-truck will drive routes that will be most optimal for delivering our great beers in the freshest possible manner to our customers " says Els Martens. "The effective planning will be made according to the needs and possible purchase of additional e-trucks. We dream of a real e-fleet in Belgium and Europe." 

Government framework 

In order to make this e-fleet a reality, AB InBev relies on good governance and multi-partner collaboration. "An e-truck costs around five times as much as a regular diesel truck and the technology for series-production is promising, but still in a first phase. So the industrial partners who are signing up now are real pioneers. The government could encourage both producers and customers like us to take steps, for example by providing good recharging infrastructure for cars and trucks," add Francesco Furlanis, category buyer AB InBev. Beer is made from natural ingredients, so caring for nature is the only right thing to do. The brewer is also ahead of the low emission zones and the increasingly strict transport conditions in the cities. "Air quality is a legitimate societal concern. We can already promise the Belgian consumer that this purchase will not be a one-off event. In the short term, we will take further steps to get low carbon and zero carbon trucks on the Belgian roads," says AB InBev.  

CO2 reduction in Home of Beer fleet: 27 additional CNG trucks  

AB InBev, which recently strengthened its Belgian identity with the name "Home of Beer", wants to take care of its home base in Belgium and is therefore opting for an increasingly sustainable policy. For longer distances, AB InBev is increasingly switching to beer boats and trains. "But for short city distributions, trucks are still an important component; we rely on the latest data analysis techniques to optimize the routes the trucks drive and thus reduce the number of kilometres they have to travel. In addition, we are also working on the greening of our vehicle fleet. We already have 7 CNG trucks for urban distribution in Belgium and that number will increase to 27 by the end of next year (out of a total of 117 trucks 2nd tier). These trucks reduce CO2 emissions by 20%," says Els Martens, fleet manager at AB InBev. AB InBev's goal is to reduce emissions by 25% by 2025. 

MAN - vision e-mobility 

As a renowned commercial vehicle manufacturer, MAN has a crucial responsibility in reducing CO2 emissions. The focus is on the future, and e-mobility cannot be ignored. MAN is taking on an ambitious pioneering role in this respect and aims to have as many as 2,000 electric vehicles on the road in Europe by 2025. Technology does not stand still and MAN is committed to increasing its range to 200 km (already 165 km + regenerative braking energy), making its batteries more compact and reducing recharging times in the long term.