Just Story Guys Experience Review Story
This year, Cornelissen Groep will drive fifteen sustainable vehicles. The clean fleet consists of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric trucks. The first two fully electric outhouses have now shipped, but more will follow.
With eActrossen, the carrier supplies the Albert Heijn stores in the heart of Rotterdam and The Hague. Mark van der Drift, director of Cornelissen Groep: “As a logistics service provider, we work for big names in retail. These parties seek sustainable solutions. We are happy to help enable innovation – without compromising our reliability and efficiency. That we can be a part of the steps Albert Heijn is taking now: we are very proud of that.”
In front of the rules
Albert Heijn announced last week that it is taking an important step with zero-emission vehicles in the urban centers of four major cities. Peter Leegstraten, Manager of Transport Expertise at Albert Heijn: “From 2030, downtown will be outlawed for diesel trucks in dozens of cities. We are now moving forward to that. To be able to take this step, we have gained a lot of experience in recent years. Together with Mercedes-Benz Trucks, we have also learned a lot in practice tests in recent years. The result: our charging infrastructure and logistics operations are ready for the next step. At Cornelissen we are now using the first series-produced eActros. All of this makes it clear that we are now truly entering the next phase.”
Prerequisites of filled shelves
It was a logical step for Cornelissen Groep to start driving Mercedes-Benz Trucks for Albert Heijn. Van der Drift: “On the journey to sustainable mobility, you work with your customers. You invest, try, and discover together. Meanwhile, a complete shelf remains a difficult prerequisite for us. So, in turn, we are also looking for suppliers that you can rely on. Mercedes-Benz has years of experience with electric trucks. eActros fits perfectly into Albert Heijn’s charging infrastructure. We can also count on a strong dealer: Wensink, with high quality service and certified technicians to work with electric trucks. This overall picture makes it very easy to choose a Mercedes-Benz Truck.”
Enthusiastic drivers
eActrosses have made their first kilometer for Cornelissen Groep. Director Van der Drift: “Drivers driving eActros are introduced to trucks under the guidance of instructors from Mercedes-Benz. What I hear the most are enthusiastic comments about ride comfort, range and practicality.” Richard Bos, Key Account Manager at Mercedes-Benz Trucks Nederland explains: “The comfort level is high, partly because the eActros has full air suspension. In addition, the entire space between the cab and the rear axle is designed for use as an electric truck. Result: a power capacity of 336 kWh and a range of about 300 kilometers. And then, in terms of dimensions, the truck also fits perfectly with Albert Heijn’s work.”
Replace with electricity
In the years to come, Albert Heijn will continue to be more sustainable at scale. Peter Leegstraten: “A thousand trucks drive daily to Albert Heijn, 700 of them to supply shops. Most of this will be electricity in the years to come. It’s a big job, but we get it done together with our operators and their suppliers. We did it because we wanted to quickly implement cleaner solutions on our way to emission-free distribution, but also because we had to. Starting in 2030, we will no longer be allowed to enter the city center in a zero-emissions no-emissions zone. The average life of a truck is 7 to 8 years. Does the truck supplying the city center need to be replaced immediately? Then it’s better to use electricity if you can, because otherwise you can’t use a truck there for the rest of its economic life!”
