NETHERLANDS – Dutch multinational brewing company Heineken is rolling out electric trucks to supply beer in certain regions in Brazil and the Netherlands in an effort to make diesel fumes in cities “a thing of the past.”
In the Netherlands, Heineken is supplying cafés in the center of Amsterdam with what it says is the world’s first electrically powered mini-tank truck.
The new trucks are reportedly lighter than their predecessors and meet the standard of 7.5 tons aimed at protecting Amsterdam’s quays and bridges.
In this first phase, two electric tank beer trucks will be operating in Amsterdam with plans underway to make Heineken’s vehicle fleet for urban distribution cleaner and quieter in the coming years.
“This new mode of transport improves the quality of life for everyone who lives, works or visits the city center,” said Hans Böhm, Managing Director-Heineken Netherlands.
“An additional advantage is that, thanks to this leap forward, you can enjoy a beer even better on, for example, a terrace. I would rather hear smiling people and beautiful music than a roaring engine that also stinks and suffocates.”
Apart from the emissions in the city, safety, and weight, with the new truck and the mobile city hub, Heineken says it will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40% on the entire transport from the brewery in Den Bosch.
Egbert De Vries, Alderman traffic and transport, water and air quality for Amsterdam, added: “Supply is crucial for the city, but to keep Amsterdam livable and accessible, trucks must become cleaner, lighter, safer, and smarter.”
Across continents in Brazil, Heineken is replicating the Netherland model, launching 5 e-trucks to distribute its amber drink on the streets of Sao Paulo City and Salvador.
Heineken Brazil said that the new trucks being silent offer distributors an excellent opportunity for night deliveries as they have the ability to move around unnoticed.
With Heineken’s move, its large tank beer trucks may disappear from the streets in the city centers of Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, and Elsavador for good.
Heineken’s step in electric transport fits in seamlessly with its “Logistics 020 Cooperation Agreement” introduced June 23 and bolsters the company’s “Brew a Better World” approach in which growth and sustainability go hand-in-hand.
In addition to green brewing and transport, Heineken also focuses on recycling packaging and promotional material and the reuse of materials after the closure or renovation of a catering business.
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