sennder and Cabot Corporation have completed one of Europe’s first cross-border transportations using a heavy-duty zero-emissions electric truck.

In a pilot electric trucking project, sennder transported 17+ tonnes of product for Cabot from the port of Rotterdam to Antwerp, Belgium and then returned to base – a round trip covering a distance of more than 300km.

The pilot project was conducted to test the long-term capabilities of 40+ tonne electric trucks. BREYTNER, an operator of zero-emission electric trucks, in association with Hn Post & Zonen, their joint venture partner, provided the heavy duty vehicle, which has a maximum gross vehicle weight of 50 tonnes and a battery range of 150km. 

It ran entirely on electricity, with one charge taking place on the way to the destination and another when returning to base. 

The pilot project demonstrates that a 40+ tonne electric truck can travel over 300km while being exclusively charged by existing highway infrastructure.

Graham Major-Ex, head of green business at sennder, said: “sennder is committed to giving shippers the best low-carbon transportation options in the industry; both advanced fuels and zero-emissions electric vehicles will play key roles in this. 

As a forwarder, it is vital that we work with partners such as Cabot and BREYTNER, with whom we can build a green future together. Some doubted whether fully loaded 40+ tonne trucks could travel highway distances on just electricity – we have proven that this is not only possible but something deliverable today.”