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Truck and Track Summer 2019 18
BUSINESS NEWS
The DAF CF Electric has been awarded Green Truck Logistics
Solution 2019. On the eve of the Transport Logistic trade
fair in Munich, Germany, the leading trade magazines
VerkehrsRundschauand TRUCKERalso honoured container
hinterland logistics network Contargo for taking the first DAFs
CF Electric into operation in Germany. These fully electric field
test vehicles collect and deliver containers at the inland Port
of Duisburg in Germany. The ‘Green Truck Logistics Solution
Award’ is a prestigious accolade for the deployment of
promising upcoming technologies for innovative, sustainable
logistics around Europe.
The two fully-electric DAF trucks for Rhenus’ subsidiary Contargo
are part of an extensive field test of multiple trucks in Europe and
the first CFs Electric put into operation in Germany. The DAF CF
Electric is a 100%electric 4x2 tractor unit developed for operations
of up to 37 tonnes in urban areas, where single-axle or dual-axle
trailers are the norm. The vehicle is based on the DAF CF, with a
fully-electric drive using VDL’s E-Power Technology. The core of its
intelligent powertrain is a 210-kW electric motor powered by a
lithium-ion battery pack with a current total capacity of 170 kWh.
The CF Electric has a range of up to 100 kilometres, depending on
the weight of its cargo, making it suitable for zero emissions high-
volume transport in urban areas. The batteries have a 30-minute
quick-charge feature while a full charge takes just one-and-a-half
hours.
Concept worthy of an award
“When awarding the Green Truck Awards, a convincing concept
with demonstrable practical relevance makes the difference,”
explained Gerhard Grünig, editor-in-chief of VerkehrsRundschau
and TRUCKER magazines. “Using the two DAF CF Electric vehicles,
the jury was impressed that Contargo was not simply looking to roll
out a flagship project for the sake of its media profile, but had spent
around two years in preparation analysing with great precision
whether electric vehicles are commercially viable in the 44 metric
tonne gross vehicle weight range.”
Seamlessly satisfy the market’s needs
Richard Zink, director of marketing and sales and DAF Trucks
Board of Management member, added: “Electric trucks will be
part of future urban life in Europe. The data we collect about the
full electric technology and operational usage with leading parties
such as Contargo will be engineered into the specifications of the
final production models, ensuring that the vehicles will seamlessly
satisfy the market’s needs.”
Contargo aiming for full decarbonisation by
2050
This approach was underlined by Sascha Hähnke, managing
director of Rhenus Trucking. “Along with Contargo, we want to
move in an innovative direction that no other logistics service
providers have yet taken. The electric trucks are part of the first
battery-powered truck fleet in Germany. By doing this, we’re
making a statement in various directions that this technology has
a future,” Hähnke said. Rhenus CEOMichael Viefers added: “There’s
a very high willingness at Rhenus to test out new technologies,
enabling us to provide resource-efficient logistics. That involves us
taking an open approach to technology and we’ll be continuing to
sustainably improve our vehicle fleet for our customers’ benefit.”
“Almost 90%CO2 reduction potential”
Verified calculations were essential to the selection process for
the award. According to these numbers, use of the DAF CF Electric
reduces carbon emissions by at least 38%, even when using
only electricity sourced from the usual grey-and-green energy
mix. “Contargo is planning to switch to green electricity at all
the terminals it uses,” added Jan Burgdorf, head of testing and
technology at VerkehrsRundschau and TRUCKER. “As a result, well-
to-wheel CO2 emissions can be decreased by almost 90%.”
DAF CF 450 on Green Truck podium as well
Not only the DAF CF Electric was awarded, the DAF CF 450 was also
put on the podium for the Green Truck 2019 award. With its low
fuel consumption of only 23.39 litres per 100 km on the Trucker’s
test route, the CF 450 underlined DAF’s continuing focus on the
highest efficient diesel engines for long-haul transport.
Innovative DAF CF Electric wins Green Truck Award
Active Products transition
to newCustoms Declaration
Service with Descartes
One of the UK’s many SME importers, Active Products (UK)
Ltd, has successfully become an early adopter of HM Revenue
and Customs’ (HMRC) new Customs Declaration Service (CDS),
following advice and support fromDescartes Systems UK Ltd.
Formed in 2003, Active Products is a privately owned company that
has been supplying a diverse range of products, spanning lighting,
automotive, building, gardening, leisure and household ranges to
DIY, Superstore and Mail Order companies as well as the wholesale
sector. The company operates a bonded warehouse, which allows it
to defer duty and VAT payments on imports. It was for this reason,
combined with the available resource within the business, that
Descartes suggested Active Products would benefit from the early
transition.
Donna Ray, Office & Finance Manager, Active Products (UK) Ltd,
commented: “As a small business, we have undoubtedly benefited
from the individual support we received in migrating to CDS early.
As a long-standing user of Descartes eCustoms platform, we were
grateful for being selected and consider their guidance invaluable
in the process.”
Since early 2019, Active Products has been using Descartes’
eCustoms system for its CDS import declarations, as part of the
migration from HMRC’s legacy Customs Handling of Import and
Export Freight (CHIEF) system. Following the technical release
of CDS in August 2018, Descartes worked closely with HMRC to
prepare Active Products as one of their first three traders for making
the first declarations using the new system. Since its go-live,
Descartes has continued to help ensure Active Products remains
compliant with CDS upgrades and future releases.
“We’re pleased that our eCustoms software has helped Active
Products UK achieve compliance with the requirements of CDS
ahead of the curve,” saidPól Sweeney, Vice President of UK Sales and
Business Management at Descartes. “We take our responsibility to
both larger and smaller traders very seriously. Despite CHIEF and
CDS running in parallel, all organisations will need to address the
changes between the systems, which are not only technical but
also around the rules of completion and data required to comply
with the EU Union Customs Code. Our proactive approach can help
ensure all organisations make the transition to CDS in a seamless
manner.”
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