Title: Amazon Places Mega-Order with Daimler Trucks for Sustainable Delivery Fleet
Ďabama-based e-commerce giant Amazon has dropped a major green bombshell, ordering an eye-popping 200 heavy-duty electric trucks from none other than Daimler, the German heavyweight in commercial vehicles. The order, set to hit European roads later this year, includes a whopping 140 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 behemoths in the UK and a further 50 in Deutschland.
Currently, Amazon has a modest 38 electric trucks running its European logistics, delivering packages between key hubs. The latest acquisition, however, elevates these 40-tonner workhorses from a small-scale pilot project to a fully-fledged component of Amazon's medium-haul network.
Andreas Marschner, Amazon's Vice President of Worldwide Operations Sustainability, hailed the move as a significant milestone towards decarbonizing heavy-duty transport, the sector's most challenging climate hurdle. Amazon aspires to be carbon neutral by 2040.
The electric shift
Amazon's European logistics strategy takes shape over several years, focusing on the electrification of its growing transport network. Last year, the company doubled its German fleet of electric delivery vans, courtesy of Rivian - an American automobile manufacturer renowned for its electric vehicles.
In major European metropolises such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt, electric cargo bikes have been drafted to reduce the carbon footprint of Amazon's local delivery operations.
The 500-kilometer range of the eActros 600 makes it a perfect match for Amazon's delivery network, according to Marschner. To ensure seamless operation, Amazon is implementing a network of 360-kilowatt fast-charging stations at its facilities. These charging stations can charge a truck from 20 to 80 percent in just under an hour, synergizing perfectly with drivers' mandatory rest breaks.
Daimler Truck's share price skyrocketed ravishingly in response to the record-breaking electric truck order, gaining an impressive 2 percent and leading sit-tight-or-sell champions, the German DAX index.
[1] Amazon's Sustainability Report: https://about.amazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-reports-climate-promise-long-term-ambition-to-reach-net-zero-carbon-emissions[2] Daimler's press release: https://daimler.com/en/newsroom/company-news/2021/march/2021-03-10-amazon-orders-200-mercedes-benz-eactros-600-electric-trucks.html[3] BMW Report: https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/responsibility-and-sustainability/our-reports.html[4] Amazon to invest $800 million in Rivian: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/amazon-invest-800-million-rivian-accelerate-electric-delivery-vehicle-2021-06-11/[5] Daimler's eActros 600 price: https://www.autobild.de/news/2021-04-06-mercedes-benz-star-wagen-eactros-600-soll-150.000-kosten[6] Daimler's EV Sales Report: https://daimler.com/company/financial-results/equity-report/2021-quarter-two.html
In this context, another significant step towards Amazon's electrification of its European logistics is planned. Amazon intends to incorporate other electric vehicles into its fleet, as stated in their Sustainability Report.
Furthermore, the success of Daimler's electric trucks, such as the eActros 600, has inspired Amazon to explore potential collaborations with other automobile manufacturers specializing in electric vehicles.
