BMW’s first 100% electric truck has taken to the streets in Munich, the company says. The company is the first automobile manufacturer in Europe to use a 40-ton electric truck for material transport on public roads.

The electric 40-ton truck – a model from the Dutch manufacturer Terberg – has successfully completed its first test drives. On July 7, the truck went into regular operation, and now travels eight times a day between the SCHERM group logistics centre and the BMW Group plant in Munich. It is being put to work transporting different vehicle components, such as shock absorbers, springs and steering systems.

The electric truck will be exclusively charged with electricity from renewable sources, the company says. It is CO2-free, quiet and generates almost no fine particle pollution. Compared to a diesel engine truck, the electric truck is expected to save 11.8 tons of CO2 annually.

The truck battery takes three to four hours to charge. When fully charged, the vehicle has a range of up to 100 kilometres. Thus, the electric truck can theoretically complete a full production day without any additional recharging.