Mars is partnering with freight technology company Einride to bring the 300-strong fleet into its operations by 2030.
The first delivery happened last week, deploying two electric trucks and charging points on a 56-mile route in Germany between the Mars Petcare factory in Verden and its distribution center in Minden.
To support the transition to having an electric fleet, Einride and Mars have installed four high power electric truck charging points at its German Petcare sites.
The fleet will be expanded across Europe, with routes in the UK and Netherlands to be added this year. An autonomous pilot will also be conducted in 2025.
Mars estimates that the trucks will save 20,000 metric tons of CO2e each year by 2030, accounting for a near-10% reduction in road transport emissions annually.
Mars’ chief procurement and sustainability officer Barry Parkin said: “Partnering with Einride to deploy 300 electric heavy-duty trucks across Europe is a great example of how we collaborate and leverage our scale to drive action and real change today – providing long-term value and impact while setting the stage for a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow.
“This partnership is our latest investment to achieve net zero by 2050, implementing the actions outlined in the Mars Net Zero Roadmap with a focus on improving and optimizing logistics, redesigning networks, transforming the type of transport we rely on, and embracing the electrification of our truck fleets. Together with our partners, we’re driving change and showcasing a commitment to sustainability at scale.”
Last year, Mars pledged to halve emissions across its full value chain by 2030 and accelerate sustainability spending to meet this goal, to the tune of $1bn within the next three years.
The consumer goods giant made these announcements through a new document outlining a roadmap to net-zero by 2050. This long-term climate goal was first set by Mars in 2021.
edie spoke to Robert Ziegler, general manager for EMEA at Einride at the Technology and Innovation Hub at COP28. As part of a COP28 Covered podcast episode, Ziegler discussed the electrification of transport. Click here to listen to the episode.