Scania establishes joint venture for pay-for-use electric trucks

JUNA is a joint venture between Scania and sennder Technologies that focuses on the development of innovative electric road logistics solutions in Europe.

The company offers electric truck solutions through a unique pay-per-use model, that enables access to electric trucks and guaranteed transport volumes by granting preferential access to loads on sennder’s digital platform.

The joint venture, that just recently launched in Germany, aims to advance electric truck adoption to drive the transition towards a more sustainable logistics industry.

The joint venture aims at clearing the way for a large-scale adoption of electric trucks that, to purchase outright are two to three times more expensive than the diesel equivalent.

By offering access to guaranteed loads on sennder’s digital platform, JUNA removes the obstacles of electric truck adoption for its customers. These includes the financial challenges associated with high upfront costs, residual value, and technology risk, and provides transport companies with commercial predictability through guaranteed incomes.

By combining Scania’s electric trucks and tailored services with sennder’s advanced technology for connecting small and medium carriers with big-name shippers, JUNA is leveraging the strength of both companies to accelerate the decarbonisation of European road freight logistics.

The model offers the full package, including premium electric vehicles, repair, maintenance, insurance, digital and analytics services.

In addition to usage-based fees and guaranteed use, through data analysis, JUNA says it optimises electrification strategies and simulates routes for electric truck suitability. By removing the risks associated with electric truck adoption and streamlining operations, JUNA plans to play a big role in reducing carbon emissions and advancing the transition to low-emission transport.

A pilot project has recently been successfully launched. The first customer is using an electric truck supplied by JUNA charged with renewable energy and performing up to ten lanes per week just like its diesel predecessor. The truck is operating for a well-known FMCG shipper in Stuttgart.

With the potential to achieve an annual reduction of 93 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions for the first truck alone, the pilot’s scope will be expanded to include long-distance routes during 2024. The project relies on existing public charging infrastructure, and with per-kilometre costs comparable to current diesel charges.

David Nothacker, CEO of sennder, said the joint venture was a pivotal moment for the transport industry. “We are excited to be partnering with Scania to create a joint venture that will propel the widespread adoption of e-trucks.

“Given that e-trucks cost two to three times more than diesel trucks and that 70 per cent of all trucks in Europe are owned by small carriers with fewer than 10 trucks, the combination of JUNA’s pay-per-use offering and sennder’s capacity utilisation will effectively remove the barriers to adopting e-trucks,” Mr Nothacker said.

Gustaf Sundell (above), Head of Ventures and New Business at Scania said JUNA is the result of a collaboration between two companies with complementary expertise in the areas of electric vehicles and digital logistics.

“Scania is exploring new solutions to find ways of creating value for our customers now and in the future and we are proud to see this project with sennder come to life. We believe it will play an important role in driving the shift to a sustainable transport system.”

At this stage, it is not known if the idea will come to Australia but a spokesman for Scania Australia said the company will be keeping an eye on the project as it develops in Europe.