Renault Trucks electrifies its Blainville - Bourg-en-Bresse - Lyon logistics corridor with Malherbe

One year after decarbonising transport of axles between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse, Renault Trucks has taken a step further in the electrification of its internal logistics. Along with the haulier Malherbe, the manufacturer is currently deploying an electric corridor to transport cabs, engines and axles between its industrial sites.

The Renault Trucks logistics corridor linking Blainville-sur-Orne (Calvados), Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain) and Lyon (Rhône) operates on a ‘just-in-time’ basis, delivering parts to assembly lines when they are needed, without interruption:

• Cabs in the heavy-duty range manufactured at Blainville-sur-Orne are transported to Bourg-en-Bresse to be assembled.

• Engines and axles produced at the factories in Lyon are taken up to Blainville-sur-Orne to be integrated in trucks in the medium-duty range.

This strategic logistics flow is now covered almost entirely by 100% electric trucks.

22 Renault Trucks E-Tech T vehicles in a relay

To decarbonise transport of cabs in the heavy-duty range, and engines and axles in the medium-duty range, Renault Trucks and Malherbe are using a fleet of 22 Renault Trucks E-Tech T electric trucks:

• 11 vehicles along the North loop (Blainville – Vironvay – Auxerre – return)

• 11 vehicles along the South loop (Auxerre – Mâcon – Bourg-en-Bresse – Lyon – return)

Thanks to a series of relay stops (to swap electric tractors, drivers and trailers), each electric truck travels a daily distance of 810 km on the North loop and 704 km on the South loop. This system makes it possible to cover long distances without stopping the load.

Fine-tuned to deliver a continuous flow

The system is based on four loops of drivers, four loops of electric tractors and one full loop for the loading (cabs for the outbound and engines-axles for the return trip):

• The electric trucks leave the Malherbe depot at Vironvay to deliver the engines and axles from the factories in Lyon to the Renault Trucks factory at Blainville-sur-Orne.

• They leave again loaded with truck cabs, with a changeover of electric tractors and drivers at Vironvay, Auxerre and Mâcon to maintain the flow.

• The batteries are charged at each stage while the drivers are resting, as Malherbe has invested in installing its own charging stations at strategic points along the corridor.

• The flow continues on to Bourg-en-Bresse and the vehicles then return to Lyon, where their trailers are loaded with engines and axles, and on it goes.

All of the stages have been designed to maximise truck usage time (up to 18 hours per day) and to keep the drivers within a close radius around their home, making the job more attractive.

By implementing a 100% electric system for this critical flow, Renault Trucks has demonstrated the reliability and maturity of its electric offer, while achieving an annual saving of 2,869 tonnes of CO₂.