Heavy vehicle manufacturer Scania has teamed up with digital freight forwarder sennder Technologies to launch a new joint venture which aims to accelerate the widespread adoption of electric trucks for road logistics in Europe to help the sector meet the EU’s Green Deal goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
The joint venture, called JUNA, has already successfully launched in Germany. The new Berlin-based company introduces a pay-per-use model for electric trucks, which are two to three times more expensive than conventional vehicles, to effectively unlock large-scale electric truck adoption.
Removing obstacles
JUNA enables access to electric trucks and guaranteed transport volumes by granting access to spot and contract loads on sennder’s digital platform. In doing so, JUNA removes the obstacles of electric truck adoption for carriers, including the financial challenges associated with high upfront costs and residual value, and provides carriers with commercial predictability through guaranteed use.
Leveraging Scania’s electric trucks and tailored services and sennder’s proprietary technology that connects small and medium carriers with shippers, JUNA combines the strength of both companies to accelerate the decarbonization of European road logistics.
As early as 2024, JUNA will significantly increase the presence of e-trucks in Germany by providing up to 100 e-trucks to carriers via its pay-per-use-model. By 2030, JUNA is aiming to deploy 5,000 electric trucks, significantly increasing the current number of electric trucks on the roads.
“A holistic package”
The JUNA model offers a holistic package, including premium electric vehicle, repair, maintenance, insurance, digital and electric services, in addition to usage-based fees and sennder’s contractual commitment to ensure truck utilization, to transform the landscape for carriers.
Through data analysis, JUNA optimizes electrification strategies and simulates routes for electric truck suitability. By removing the risks associated with electric truck adoption and streamlining operations, JUNA will play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions and advancing the transition to low-emission transportation, the company noted.
First pilot program
A pilot program has recently been successfully launched with a first carrier driving a JUNA electric truck on renewable energy up to ten times a week for an FMCG shipper and sennder customer in the Stuttgart region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
With the potential to achieve an annual reduction of 93 tonnes of CO₂e emissions for the first truck alone, the program’s scope will be expanded to encompass long-distance routes in 2024. The operation relies on existing public charging infrastructure in Germany, with per-kilometre costs comparable to current diesel expenses.
“A pivotal moment”
“This is a pivotal moment for our industry, and we are excited to be partnering with Scania to create a joint venture that will propel e‑truck’s widespread adoption,” said David Nothacker, CEO of sennder. “Given that e‑trucks cost two to three times more than diesel trucks and that 70% of all trucks in Europe are owned by small carriers with less than 10 trucks, the combination of JUNA’s pay‑per‑use offering and sennder’s capacity utilization will effectively remove the barriers to adopting e‑trucks.”
Gustaf Sundell, Executive Vice President and Head of Ventures and New Business at Scania, added: “JUNA is the result of a collaboration between two companies with complementary expertise in the areas of electric vehicles and digital logistics, which will accelerate the transition to electrified heavy transports. Scania is exploring new solutions to find ways of creating value for our customers now and in the future and we are proud to see this project with sennder come to life. We believe it will play an important role in driving the shift to a sustainable transport system.”
