The transport of goods in urban areas is changing, both in terms of emissions regulations, travel restrictions and the multiplicity of modes of mobility (cargo bikes, bicycles, scooters, etc.) in public spaces.
With a view to massification, vehicles with a tonnage of more than 3.5 tonnes will remain at the heart of supply to towns. With a complete range of electric vehicles, ranging from 3.5 to 26 tons and manufactured in France, Renault Trucks has been working for ten years to reduce the environmental footprint of urban distribution. GEODIS, whose ambition is to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030, has committed, for its part, to delivering 37 carbon-free cities by 2023.
Through this new collaboration, the manufacturer and its logistics partner are taking the approach further and combining their know-how to develop a brand new 16-tonne urban electric heavy truck, at a cost (TCO) similar to that of a diesel vehicle. , a sine qua non condition for the democratization of these alternative engines.
” The environmental emergency coupled with the growth of e-Commerce and the implementation of low-emission zones in major French cities means accelerating the decarbonization of transport. This is the objective of GEODIS and of the partnership with Renault Trucks. We want to quickly provide concrete answers to sustainable urban logistics says Marie-Christine Lombard, CEO of GEODIS.
” We see that the image of the truck is changing; finally, it is seen as an indispensable tool. The project that Renault Trucks is carrying out alongside GEODIS aims to design a truck that will blend seamlessly into the urban landscape, among other users of traffic areas and even pedestrian areas. This new truck is designed for the working comfort of the driver, for his safety and for that of city dwellers. », continues Bruno Blin, President of Renault Trucks.
A truck that fits perfectly into the urban landscape
Under the name of the “Oxygen” project, this vehicle, through collaborative work from its design stage, will make it possible to integrate all the constraints and uses of urban delivery: elimination of nuisances such as pollution and noise and improvement active and passive safety to better manage coexistence with all road users (pedestrians and city dwellers using soft modes of travel).
The first works have already made it possible to identify the following avenues:
- Increased driver and city dweller safety thanks to a low-slung cab, providing the driver with excellent direct vision for optimum protection of road users; a large windscreen and multiple cameras replacing rear-view mirrors, offering a 360° view; a side sliding door has also been provided on the passenger side, limiting the opening angle of the door.
- Better driver comfort with a vehicle that will allow him to exit either on the right or left side. Ascents and descents will be facilitated thanks to a significantly reduced access height compared to a standard distribution truck.
- Optimal ergonomics and better accessibility of the body. To this end, a three-way collaboration with partner bodybuilders is envisaged in order to improve loading/unloading operations in urban environments.
- Connected tools allowing the driver to facilitate logistics operations and optimize their rounds.
For a perfect integration of this vehicle in the urban landscape and with a view to comfort and enhancement of the driver, the Renault Trucks designers have also completely redesigned both the exterior lines of the truck and the interior of the cabin.
Delivery of the prototype is scheduled for the end of 2022. It will be produced in the French Renault Trucks plant in Blainville-sur-Orne, the first European plant to manufacture electric trucks in series since 2020.
The heavyweight will be the subject of an experiment from 2023 for urban delivery in Paris. This test in real conditions will be followed by a phase of adaptation of the vehicle integrating feedback from drivers (comfort of use, practicality, charging, etc.), then a study to optimize the total cost of ownership.
Renault Trucks press release.
