EUROPE – AB InBev, the world’s leading brewer and Volvo Trucks, have announced the order of a brand new in series produced Volvo Electric Truck, which will deliver its beers across Europe from April 2020 while enabling the company to cut on its carbon emissions.
According to the Belgian brewer, the newly developed Volvo FE Electric truck, which runs on green electricity, is low noise and emits no CO2 per ride, will be delivered to the company in the beginning of second quarter next year.
The truck will be used to deliver its beers such as Jupiler, Leffe and Stella Artois, as part of a wider fleet of electric vehicles AB InBev is investing in across Europe, including Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
AB InBev said that the collaboration with Volvo will enable the company to transition towards a greener fleet in Europe as part of its 2025 Sustainability Goals, one of which is the commitment to reduce emissions across its global business by 20% by 2025.
Richard White, European VP of Procurement and Sustainability for AB InBev said: “As a company that relies on natural resources to make our beers, we see it as our duty, along with our partners like Volvo Trucks, to invest in new technology that contributes to a reduction in emissions.
“We are excited by this milestone but we recognize that this is very much a first step for our European business.
“This is one of our first in a sequence of orders of series-produced e-trucks in Europe we plan to make over the next five years and took strong internal and external collaboration to get to this point.
“We are now looking forward to 2020 being a year of testing, working with our public and private partners and exploring how we can break down barriers to further investment and infrastructure improvement in this area.”
Krista Walsh, Director EU Comm. & Sustainability Affairs at Volvo Group added: “Electromobility is changing the automotive world and in the near future, it will change how we plan our cities and infrastructure. Electric trucks offer huge potential in urban areas.
“First, the low noise levels make it possible to carry out deliveries and refuse collection in early mornings, late evenings or even at night, helping to improve transport logistics and reduce congestion during peak hours.
“Second, with zero emissions and less noise, electric trucks create new opportunities for city planning and road infrastructure. An electric truck can, for example, be used in indoor loading areas and environmental zones.”
AB InBeV noted that the partnership with Volvo is a timely example of European companies collaborating to boost innovation and develop new technologies to shift towards a greener future especially at a time when the incoming European Commission begins work on the new European Green Deal.
