Mars will be introducing a 300-strong fleet of electric and digitally optimised heavy-duty trucks to its European network by 2030.
A partnership with freight technology company Einride forms part of the global manufacturer’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 following estimates that the new electric fleet will save 20,000 metric tons of CO2 each year by 2030.
This is expected to equate to a 10% reduction across Mars Europe’s road transport GHG emissions annually.
Last week marked the first delivery using Einride’s freight capacity offering, which included two electric trucks which drove the 56-mile journey between a Mars Petcare factory in Germany and its distribution centre.
Mars chief procurement and sustainability officer Barry Parkin said: “Partnering with Einride to deploy 300 electric heavy-duty trucks across Europe is a great example of how we collaborate and leverage our scale to drive action and real change today – providing long-term value and impact while setting the stage for a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow.”
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“This partnership is our latest investment to achieve net zero by 2050, implementing the actions outlined in the Net Zero Roadmap with a focus on improving and optimizing logistics, redesigning networks, transforming the type of transport we rely on, and embracing the electrification of our truck fleets.”
Mars plans to expand the global strategic partnership across Europe, with routes in the UK and the Netherlands expected to follow later in 2024.
Fully electric operations are expected to include an autonomous pilot by 2025.
“To build a resilient future, we have to take action in decarbonizing transportation and enabling future-proof operations,” added Einride CEO and founder Robert Falck.
“This partnership exemplifies Mars’ commitment to taking action, as we jointly deploy an intelligent freight system that will reduce emissions, increase efficiencies and showcase a commitment to sustainability at scale.”
