ASKO says it uses 600 trucks a day and has set itself the goal of achieving zero-emission food transport by 2026. To this end, ABB charging stations are now to be installed at distribution centres throughout Norway to enable the greater use of battery-electric trucks.
Marius Aarset, Chief Technical Officer at ASKO, explains: “We focus on solutions that take into account other activities such as charging electric pallet trucks, refrigeration systems and solar cells at the distribution centres to avoid power peaks, prediction of charging needs and optimisation of the charging processes, for example in connection with loading of goods.”
According to the Swiss-Swedish group ABB, the first ABB HVC 150C (150 kW) high-performance chargers are already in operation at the ASKO distribution centre in Oslo, where they will initially charge two Scania battery-electric trucks. The two vehicles are part of a fleet of 55 electric trucks ordered from Scania that each has a payload of ten tonnes and a range of up to 120 kilometres.
“ASKO’s goal is to be sustainable and climate-neutral. This means that we will focus on energy efficiency measures and last but not least on renewable resources,” said Svein Sollie, transport director at ASKO. “Our goal requires major investments, especially in energy and transport.”
ASKO had already tested the first electric trucks in 2016 and, since the beginning of this year, four Scania fuel cell trucks have also been in operation in Trondheim. Apart from the 55 electric trucks from Scania, ASKO has also ordered ten Tesla semi-trailer trucks.
