BMW integrates electric truck trio into Regensburg plant logistics

BMW has started to electrify the deliveries around the Regensburg plant. The first three fully electrically powered trucks have recently been integrated to transport parts between individual areas of the site.

Two of the three electric trucks transport high-voltage storage systems, while the third transports floor panelling for BMW vehicles. BMW does not specify which models are involved. However, the DAF CF Electric can be seen in press photos, so at least one, if not all, of the vehicles will come from DAF.

The duo used for battery transport shuttles between EV component production at Plant 6.11 in Leibnizstraße and Vehicle Plant 6.10 in Herbert-Quandt-Allee. A round trip is around eight kilometres long. The trucks complete almost 30 such round trips per day. The third electric truck also drives an approximately three-kilometre route from an external warehouse to Plant 6.10 and back 30 times a day. As mentioned, it transports floor panelling that is manufactured there.

All routes run partly through local roads, which is why they are also well suited for electric trucks, according to BMW. “The electric trucks are emission-free and quiet, so they don’t pollute the plant surroundings with emissions or noise – a real win-win situation for us,” says Andrea Pflügler, Head of Logistics Process Planning at BMW Group Plant Regensburg. “The clean and quiet electric trucks have proven themselves in use. More will follow in the medium term. We are examining which heavy goods transport routes in and around the Regensburg plant are also suitable for electrification.”

Given the three-shift operation at the Regensburg plant, the emission-free trucks are used almost around the clock. That requires a special charging strategy. BMW has set up several short stops instead of one long charging break. To this end, 250 kW chargers were installed at each of the three stops. Two charging points are located next to the docking gates of the production hall in plant 6.10 and one in component plant 6.11. It means the truck batteries can be recharged with green electricity during loading and unloading.

The car manufacturer procured the electric trucks and the charging infrastructure via the logistics service provider Preymesser. The partners still benefited from a subsidy in Germany, which was recently capped earlier than expected. The Federal Ministry also subsidised the project for Digital and Transport Affairs.

press.bmwgroup.com (in German)