Mars to bring 300 electric trucks to Europe, with autonomous pilot in 2025

Einride, a freight mobility company that provides digital, electric and autonomous technology, announced today a partnership with Mars to deploy a fleet of digitally optimized electric heavy-duty trucks across Mars’ network by 2030.

It is estimated that the European operations will save 20,000 metric tons of CO2e each year by 2030, accounting for roughly a 10% reduction in Mars Europe’s road transport GHG emissions.

Robert Falck, CEO and Founder at Einride said: ‘This sets a precedent for other players in the freight industry to follow, showcasing the mass potential of electrification at scale. We are honored to partner with Mars as their transformational partner as they look to meet their ambitious sustainability goals in a cost effective way and set a new standard for creating a more resilient future.’

The first delivery happened last week, with Einride’s freight capacity offering deployed with two electric trucks and charging points powered by Einride’s operating system Saga, between the Mars Petcare factory in Verden, Germany, and its distribution center in Minden, Germany.

On this first route, the two electric heavy-duty trucks will save up to 193,000 road miles (312,000 km) per year on the return route from Verden to Minden. To support the transition to electric, high power charging points have been installed at the German Petcare sites.

Following Germany’s lead, the global strategic partnership will begin expanding across Europe first with routes in the UK and the Netherlands expected to follow later in 2024. These fully-electric operations will be complemented with an autonomous pilot, implemented in 2025.

Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars said: ‘Partnering with Einride to deploy 300 electric heavy-duty trucks across Europe is a great example of how we collaborate and leverage our scale to drive action and real change today – providing long-term value and impact while setting the stage for a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow.

‘This partnership is our latest investment to achieve net zero by 2050, implementing the actions outlined in the Mars Net Zero Roadmap with a focus on improving and optimizing logistics, redesigning networks, transforming the type of transport we rely on, and embracing the electrification of our truck fleets. Together with our partners, we’re driving change and showcasing a commitment to sustainability at scale.’