Smart City Logistics Congress 2024: Steadfastly moving ahead

Even if the current debate about the phase-out of combustion engines may suggest otherwise: There is no alternative to the transformation in the fleet - and those who start it now might soon have a competitive advantage. "Sure, nobody thinks about tomorrow when today's costs don't match," said Dako's Head of Innovation and Research Harald Hempel at the start, bringing up the example of a committed local carrier struggling with the current conditions of acquiring an electric truck and the high operating costs.

It is a challenging phase, Hempel concedes, despite all the electric enthusiasm: Experiments have to pay off eventually. But Hempel also believes that they will soon do so through the right regulations and frameworks, which, incidentally, have existed since ancient Rome. Moreover, he lamented that there is still a lack of sufficient data on urban logistics on which a serious plan can be based.

Bruno Lukas, known as the "Green Logistics Enabler", also pointed to the "driving" effect of regulations, such as the EU fleet limits for trucks (90 percent CO2 reduction by 2030), CO2-based tolls, or the CSRD requirements, which would force companies onto the green path. Hence, waiting is not an option, and the industry is challenged.

Lower operating costs in the medium term

In the medium term, it's not a question: You save on operating costs what you have to invest more in acquisition. That was the tenor of the gathered experts at the 10th edition of the Smart City Logistics Congress in Jena, which again took place under the Dako flag. And exemplary was also the plea from Jens Jerratsch of TU Berlin, who championed the transformation to electromobility in transport and logistics.

The transport sector must also play its part; there is no more postponement. Andreas Schwager of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, who once attended the German delegation at the Paris climate agreement negotiations, warned that the world is on course for 2.2 degrees warming compared to pre-industrial times, instead of the just barely acceptable 1.5 degrees for reasonably livable conditions. On this course, countless areas on earth would become uninhabitable, and even coastal cities like Hamburg or Bremerhaven would be in danger. To prevent all this, the goal is to operate the entire fleet climate-neutral by 2030; currently, they are at 50 percent. And efforts are being made here, too, to substitute even e-transporters with cargo bikes: 200 vans have been reduced through the use of cargo bikes, and five million small shipments have been shifted to bikes. 

Battery-Electric, but with Battery Swap System

From the scientific and cool analysis perspective, TU scientist Jerratsch has a clear favorite: battery-electric drives are simply unbeatable in terms of efficiency, significantly better than combustion engines, but also fuel cell trucks or even HVO-powered trucks - and they save in operation what they cost more to purchase. He already sees diesel parity in costs today under certain conditions. That is, if enough "distance" is covered, meaning, if the truck is steadily rolling.

The eHaul project aims to contribute to ensuring that this happens. With the idea of battery swap systems for trucks, it introduces an element that has so far been completely underrepresented in Germany and Europe, unlike in China: Battery Swap Stations for trucks. In the Middle Kingdom, as Jerratsch could personally verify, this has long been scaled and industrialized, with more than 200 stations where e-trucks can swap batteries in a few minutes. Technologically, this is feasible.

China is pulling ahead of Europe, once again

In the passenger car sector, the Chinese start-up Nio is currently working on setting up battery swap stations, known as Power Swap Stations, in our regions as well. However, the technology is even more plausible for trucks if the battery swap takes only five to ten minutes before the journey can continue. Jerratsch points out a simple fact: to electrify the current fleet of trucks by 2030, 35,000 HPC charging points with more than 400 kW power are needed. Currently, there are 50 of them. At the current rate of expansion, it is simply illusory. Not to mention the gigantic investments in grid expansion that would be necessary to simultaneously supply thousands of trucks with megawatt charging.

Entrepreneurs need more flexibility

Don't get me wrong, the expansion of the HPC infrastructure is urgent and necessary. But in addition, other options are needed for entrepreneurs. With the current 500 and targeted 600 kWh capacity of the pallet-sized batteries on trucks' frames, the concept fits well into current operations. This is demonstrated by the integration of Reinert Logistik as a "real-time project partner". An automated swap station realized in the pilot project could replace up to seven MCS chargers, Jerratsch calculates. The costs for the batteries to be kept available are well calculable and manageable in relation to the grid expansion costs of MCS charging systems. Moreover, such swap boxes require less space than charging stations, which would also be occupied longer.

Jerratsch warned that Germany has no strategy in this area, whereas Chinese providers like CATL are already announcing systems they also want to bring to Europe. Incidentally, the Swiss electric truck pioneer DW is also part of the eHaul consortium, positioning itself in a key position and unique position against the OEMs with its e-truck that is suitable for battery swapping, which was also showcased on site.

From Cargo Bike to Electric Truck: GC Accelerates the Shift

Soon to be on the road electrically with heavy trucks, the sanitary-heating-climate (SHK) GC group also aims to transition, after having already switched urban construction site deliveries to cargo bikes in collaboration with CityLog: Faster, more punctual, and cleaner than with numerous distribution trucks and vans, reflecting a positive balance which has also been applied to the transport of small parts. Currently, tests with Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 heavy trucks in Norway are promising and soon to be used as a blueprint for Germany. In the medium segment of transporters, the "perfect vehicle" does not yet exist, reports Sebasian Rzepka of Cordes & Gräfe. The range of the current eSprinter is too short, but efforts continue as this class becomes increasingly important: More frequent deliveries multiple times a day, then with smaller vehicles, is the trend.

Micro Depots as a Requirement for Cargo Bike Logistics

Central to combining cargo bikes are inner-city depot areas, or micro depots. Goods are delivered there once or twice daily by a distribution truck from the larger warehouse, with fine distribution then handled by bike. To secure such areas, which are scarce in cities, creativity is needed, as explained by CityLog CEO Selim Ben Aissa.

Luc Kaiser from the consultancy LNC Logistics Network Consultants understands how challenging it is to provide spaces for inner-city depots. He outlined various possibilities, from separate micro depots, to mobile solutions with swap bodies, integrating them into new building projects or parking garages. He also strongly advocated for expanding loading zones at the curbside and standardizing loading zone signage, as proposed by BIEK. Kaiser also promoted a tool for potential analysis of possible depots and delivery areas, helping to estimate and calculate site profitability.

Fraunhofer IML Shows the Potential of Night Logistics - When It's Electric

Arnd Bernsmann from the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) demonstrated the close relationship between electrification and the utilization of night logistics potential. Through extensive practical tests, a "noise ranking" was created with sound measurements among different drive types, diesel, natural gas, or electric - leading to a clear conclusion: The more electric, the quieter. However, attention must also be paid to the processes associated with the unloading procedure. Based on a handbook for noise-reduced logistics, sensor-supported examination of real processes, and a DIN working group, a solid tool for the feasibility of night logistics has now been developed, according to Bernsmann. The instrument is to be presented on September 25.