Dachser frees space at its throughput terminals
Compared to conventional lead-acid batteries, the lithium-ion version lasts three times longer and boasts significantly shorter charging times. This increases the flexibility of using vehicles equipped with these batteries, and thus special rooms for battery charging become obsolete. The resulting freed-up space in transit terminals can be used for cargo handling.
“Considering the savings for maintenance and damage costs – since the batteries no longer have to be taken out of the vehicle every day for charging – having a lithium-ion fleet has already paid for itself today,” said André Bilz, Team Leader Fleet Management Terminal Equipment at Dachser.
The change is also good news for environmental sustainability. For one thing, the conventional batteries, which have to be replaced after about 1,200 charging cycles, contain lead, a toxic heavy metal. For another, the lithium-ion batteries conserve energy and thus save some 1,600 kilograms of CO2 per vehicle per year. Given 6,000 ground conveyors, this results in 9.6 million kilograms of CO2 annually.
“Dachser is investing continuously in cutting-edge logistics facilities and equipment, which ultimately enhances the quality of its services,” explains Michael Schilling, Dachser’s COO Road Logistics. “This modernisation project is an excellent example of how profitability and sustainability can go hand in hand, which in turn produces benefits for our customers.”
By 2022, Dachser wants to convert all its Road Logistics locations in Europe to this new technology. The switch will be made step by step; locations will not operate both technologies together. Lithium-ion technology has already been successfully introduced in the Radeburg and Erlensee (Food Logistics) branches, and will now be followed by construction and expansion of facilities, for example in Freiburg and Munich, the plans for which will include the necessary electrical infrastructure from the outset.