Gas-powered truck puts wholesaler in the fast lane to reaching climate goals

A biogas powered heavy-duty vehicle in the fleet provides ideal support for a wholesaler’s logistics. HPACE wholesaler Onninen noticed this shortly after the first gas-powered trucks began to transport Onninen products.

A gas-powered Iveco truck has now been transporting Onninen products for a couple of years. Last autumn, a Renault suited for the transport of building supplies was added to the gas-powered truck fleet.

Onninen’s customers have also commended the climate-friendly choice.

“We’ve received only positive feedback from customers about the choice of biogas-powered trucks. Many have said that it’s good that we have started to reduce emissions. I believe that cleaner logistics are an advantage also in competitive tendering,” says Samuli Pohjonen, Transport Manager at Onninen.

Gas-powered vehicles are part of Onninen’s and its owner Kesko’s responsibility strategy: Onninen and Kesko aim to be entirely carbon neutral by 2025.

“An e-vehicle and an e-cycle are some of the earlier ways we have tried to reach emissions goals. We replaced diesel trucks with gas-powered trucks,” Pohjonen says.

Pohjonen says that they will reach climate goals by combining, trying out and seeking various alternatives.

“This is where a gas-powered vehicle comes into the picture. There’s a gas filling station next to our logistics center and gas filling stations are otherwise excellently available in Southern Finland.

Low-emission vehicles interest logistics companies

There’s plenty for logistics companies to do to reach the climate goals set by many companies. According to Jani Mäkinen, CEO at Timecap, which operates transports for Onninen, interest in low-emission transport vehicles is showing steady growth.

“A greater transition to low-emission transport vehicles is certainly on the way. We have joined forces with customers to proactively seek experience of different types of propulsion and gas is a promising alternative,” Mäkinen says.

Timecap has a fleet of around 70 vehicles. In practice, driving for Onninen mostly entails the delivery of single consignments in the Uusimaa region.

“Both of the gas-powered trucks used by Onninen are used for this purpose. We deliver HPACE products mainly to building sites and other Onninen customers in the Uusimaa region,” Mäkinen says.

Gas transports where diesel does

Timecap’s drivers have been positively surprised by gas-powered trucks.

“All in all, drivers have found gas-powered trucks to be on a par with the diesel fleet. So far, only refueling vehicles with compressed gas has been slightly more frequent than for diesel vehicles. Otherwise, a gas-powered truck holds its own against diesel trucks both technically and in terms of characteristics.

Mäkinen thinks that logistics companies should consider the potential for low-emission transports by having open discussions with customers. The importance of cleaner solutions is highlighted especially when weighing up future investments.

Story Pi Mäkilä