Luxury automakers Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Altmann work to bridge the divide between lofty aspirations and real-world results

In a recent panel discussion, industry experts gathered to discuss the future of sustainable transport in Europe. Among the panelists were Anouck Arnaud from Mercedes-Benz and Thomas Wiech from BMW Group.

Anouck Arnaud highlighted the gaps in public charging infrastructure as a significant challenge for the adoption of e-trucks. She pointed out that this issue needs to be addressed to make electric trucks a viable solution for road logistics.

On the other hand, ARS Altmann, a company with a long history of investing in rail logistics, is expanding its rail network and investing in rail traction operations to take more direct control of operations. Dr Maximilian Altmann, representing ARS Altmann, expects to have licences for rail traction active by the end of this year in Germany, Italy, and Austria.

BMW Group's Thomas Wiech echoed Arnaud's concerns about infrastructure and emphasised the need for long-term government investment in infrastructure and digitalisation to address service gaps and delays in rail logistics. He also called for improved transparency and process automation in rail networks.

Both BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz have been making progress in decarbonising logistics. They are building on existing technologies such as biofuels and shifting more transport to rail where feasible. For instance, Mercedes-Benz is testing e-trucks across longer distances with intermediate stops, while BMW is running trial routes for vehicle logistics between operations in Munich and north of the city in Garching using e-trucks.

The German and European governments are also taking steps to incentivise cleaner vehicles. They have announced measures including maintaining toll exemptions or significant discounts for electric trucks until 2025 and beyond, to encourage the adoption of electric trucks. Additionally, they plan to introduce stricter tolls and surcharges on high-pollution diesel trucks starting 2026 and expand toll coverage to lighter trucks by 2027.

However, the panelists acknowledged that using electric trucks beyond specific routes is still years away. Anouck Arnaud from Mercedes-Benz called rail transport a "big lever" for reducing emissions in vehicle logistics but noted challenges with delays and lack of flexibility in cross-border transport in Europe.

The panel also discussed the importance of patience and ongoing commitment to green targets from both companies and governments. Altmann stressed the need for governments to support industries with deregulation, while keeping a science-based approach to setting CO targets and sustainability priorities.

In response to external factors affecting reliable forecasts for providers, such as the implementation of tariffs in the US, Mercedes-Benz's Arnaud noted uncertainty as a challenge. ARS Altmann is addressing this issue by working to improve planning with OEMs by sharing more volume and production information to reduce changes in plans caused by external factors.

ARS Altmann is also making active investments in e-trucks as part of its annual fleet investment and renewal, and is developing charging stations and a network of vehicle compounds.

The German coalition government has announced an infrastructure spending bill that includes investment of more than €100 billion ($117.5 billion) in rail through 2029, including for infrastructure and modernisation. This investment is expected to address some of the gaps in the rail network, such as the sections yet to be electrified, as pointed out by Anouck Arnaud from Mercedes-Benz.

Dr Maximilian Altmann called for continued market liberalisation for the railway in Germany and Europe, citing redundant regulations based on older technology. He emphasised the need for governments to support industries in their transition to sustainable transport solutions.

In conclusion, the panel discussion highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the transition to sustainable transport in Europe. While there are still gaps to be addressed, the panelists agreed that with continued investment, collaboration, and commitment, a greener future for transport is within reach.