MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija and Petrol efforts for sustainable transport logistics in the field of commercial vehicles and urban passenger transport in Slovenia

- MAN and Petrol signed a letter of intent, with which they are laying the foundation for the development of sustainable delivery logistics, and urban passenger transport.

- In December 2020, MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija made its full range of electric commercial vehicles available to selected partners, who will use them in practice.

- MAN eTGM is the first electric truck in Slovenia available for commercial use.

- Participating partners in the field of freight transport: Petrol, BTC, Spar Slovenija, Kobal Transporti, Henkel Maribor, and Prigo.

- Participating in the field of urban passenger transport: LPP, Nomago, Arriva, Marprom.

The purpose of the project is to collect practical feedback that will clearly indicate the maturity of the logistics chain, and the necessary development in the field of infrastructure and support services. These are of key importance in the transition of logistics to sustainable mobility in the commercial vehicles segment.

Cities and urban areas face increasing challenges in finding the balance between maintaining a healthy environment for their inhabitants, and their needs for a quality life, which require the delivery of goods to city centres and urban passenger transport. The development of spatially and temporally limited traffic, and the concept of using other means of transport are two solutions to deal with these problems, in addition to sustainable mobility. It is abundantly clear that the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions will not be achieved without electrification of delivery logistics, which represents a large share of urban transport and urban passenger transport. The range of suitable electric commercial vehicles on offer is also insufficient. Positive shifts towards sustainable mobility through the use of commercial vehicles can only be made by connecting and cooperating with all key stakeholders in the fields of mobility, transport, and logistics.

MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija is proud to be the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to offer its partners a full range of electric commercial vehicles, which represents the first step on the journey towards the logistics of the future. Pioneers who can look into the future and accept their mission, are needed to realise the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Cooperation between Petrol and the project partners opens the door to opportunities for success. In addition to technical field testing and analysing customer needs, this project also includes the development of the services and infrastructure required specifically for electric commercial vehicles.

“For MAN, eMobility is no longer a vision, but a reality. This is affirmed by our fully electric truck, MAN eTGM, which complements MAN's range of electric commercial vehicles. It has proven its efficiency and quality during extensive testing conducted by the Austrian consortium CNL (Council for Sustainable Logistics). The MAN eTGM 26.360 E LL delivery truck is designed specifically for distribution transport of the future: without harmful emissions, completely silent, and with a load-carrying capacity that ensures the simple performance of typical transport tasks. However, eMobility cannot be limited to only one vehicle. When our clients enter the field of eMobility, they face numerous questions that go beyond the vehicle itself. Customers and their needs are always our top priority – of course the same applies to eMobility. During practical tests and drives, our customers can experience and assess how they can implement modern transport free of harmful emissions: environmentally friendly, sustainable, and efficient! During the tests, we will analyse the infrastructure and charging system, logistical planning, and the total cost of ownership. We at MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija are delighted and are looking forward to starting the first tests of the e-truck in Slovenia and the electric city bus, and continue testing the MAN eTGE electric delivery truck, together with our valued partners. Together, we are ready for the transition into the eMobility period,” said Claus Wallenstein, the Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija.

"Petrol is one of the leading providers of sustainable mobility in Slovenia and the wider region. It is the head of two major EU projects (Urban-e and Multi-e), and a member of several others. These projects are aimed at ensuring sustainable mobility, both in terms of the installation, management, and maintenance of the electric charging infrastructure, as well as obtaining grants for electric vehicles intended for public use. In this way, Petrol has become an important strategic partner of numerous companies and other organisations that wish to transition to modern forms of sustainable mobility,” says Jože Bajuk, MSc, Member of the Management Board of Petrol, responsible for the Energy and Solutions pillar.

In 2019, MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija handed over the first electric delivery truck and a passenger van to selected partners for testing. In 2020, the first electric delivery truck became a part of Henkel Maribor’s and Prigo’s vehicle fleet. Henkel Maribor uses the delivery truck for its own logistic needs, and delivery to end customers in Maribor. Prigo uses the electric truck to deliver goods to the Novartis Group.