Sustainable supply with an electric truck

VHC Jongens and Rijkswaterstaat are starting a pilot to test how an electric truck can deliver products to the catering industry in the center of Amsterdam as cleanly and effectively as possible. Catering wholesaler VHC Jongens was the first in the Netherlands to purchase an electric, relatively small truck with refrigeration and freezer compartments of 7.5 t for this purpose.

VHC Jongens strives for a total concept for “clean and smart supply" of its customers. This includes emission-free transport with small trucks. The catering wholesaler has been looking for a vehicle that weighs a maximum of 7.5 tons, but also has sufficient battery capacity for refrigerated and frozen transport to be able to supply customers within the Amsterdam ring road flexibly and sustainably.

The truck is emission-free and equipped with solar panels to recharge the batteries in the meantime. This guarantees that the home base can be reached in order to continue charging there. VHC has sufficient charging facilities not only for this truck, but also for the expansion of the electric vehicle fleet. Because the truck weighs 7.5 t, quays and bridges in the center of Amsterdam are not subjected to any extra load.

Customer and driver experiences
“The introduction of a new truck on the Dutch market has taken a lot of effort. But we are very proud to be the first food service company that can supply our customers sustainably and quietly. Customers are increasingly asking to come up with a sustainable total solution, with our food products, but also with sustainable transport. We do everything for a smart business”, says Ed Vleugel, manager transport at VHC Jongens.

Marcel Schonenberg, Managing Director of the Beurs van Berlage and board member of the Amsterdam City Association. “Beurs van Berlage considers sustainability to be of paramount importance. In the context of our CSR policy, sustainability has many aspects, in the building, a national monument, but also in the relationships with our suppliers. We have great appreciation for VHC Jongens who want to be a leader in sustainability and the step they are taking with this new electric truck”.

The experiences will be monitored for each party, both individually and collectively, by VHC Jongens with the support of Rijkswaterstaat. This includes CO2 emissions, road safety, facilities for charging infrastructure, range and load capacity. Customers are increasingly demanding sustainable supplies. Their experiences with sustainable transport and deliveries outside window times are also part of the pilot. Drivers are asked about their driving experience with the new truck, also in terms of road safety (other road users hardly hear the vehicle).

Yvonne de Boer, Logistics Program Coordinator Rijkswaterstaat West-Nederland Noord: “In the Smart and Sustainable program we try to reduce the pressure on the road network and CO2 emissions by accelerating innovations and supporting entrepreneurs who put smart and sustainable solutions into practice. Together with VHC Jongens, we will monitor the results and compare them with delivery by diesel trucks.

Meanwhile, VHC Jongens has trained some of the company’s drivers to drive the truck. A number of customers have been selected to be able to supply them sustainably. The municipality of Amsterdam offers flexibility regarding window times, because this is one of the ways to achieve the objectives of zero-emission transport in the city center ahead of the introduction of ZE zones in 2025. “The municipality of Amsterdam welcomes the fact that entrepreneurs are coming up with smart solutions to contribute to zero emission deliveries in the city centre. Moreover, more use will have to be made of small trucks due to the limited carrying capacity of quays and bridges,” says Hans van den Berg, strategic communication advisor logistics020 municipality of Amsterdam.

In addition to small trucks, VHC Jongens is also preparing sustainable transport with large electric vehicles that will mainly be used on the Amsterdam ring road and in the region. Three 19t electric trucks have already been ordered and two more 7.5t trucks will be added during the year. VHC Jongens strives for a fully sustainable electric fleet in 2024 in Amsterdam.