Two Fuso eCanter trucks have entered the DB Schenker fleet in Finland, where they operate daily in challenging weather conditions near the Arctic Circle. These 7.5-tonne battery-electric trucks are employed for last-mile deliveries in regions like Kuusamo and Oulu, facing deep snow and temperatures as low as -30degC between October and April.
Raino Mourujärvi, Head of Terminal Area at DB Schenker Northern Finland, is responsible for all buildings, vehicles and personnel for land transportation in the north of Finland: “I really wanted us to use the eCanter here and disprove the preconception that you can’t do anything with an electric truck in these weather conditions.”
Sami Määtä, Terminal Manager at the Schenker hub in Kuusamo and also driver of the eCanter, has already driven more than 1,200km with the eCanter in recent weeks, making deliveries to customers. “The vehicle starts flawlessly every day. With the low temperatures prevailing in winter, people in Kuusamo are used to different things from diesel vehicles from time to time.”
“Together with our customers, we also want to play a pioneering role in sustainable logistics in Finland,” said Harald Knaapinen, Head of Land Transport Finland at DB Schenker. ”To reduce co2 emissions, such an investment in electric transportation is essential for us. In Finland, parcel transportation accounts for a large proportion of pick-up and delivery traffic. The current eCanter is the ideal vehicle for this application. And the deployment of the two vehicles in northern Finland with its extreme weather conditions is a unique opportunity for us, basically an ultimate test.”
The latest iteration of the eCanter offers enhanced versatility, with various wheelbase options and battery capacities to meet diverse customer requirements. With a focus on sustainability and efficiency, the eCanter is positioned as an ideal solution for urban distribution tasks.
