Volvo 2013 Annual Report Download - page 39

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More effi cient goods
transport reduces emissions
in cities
Over a period of three years, emissions from
400 distribution trucks operating in Gothen-
burg, Sweden, were cut by 30%. Volvo Group
now wants to share its experience with other
cities the world over.
– With more energy-effi cient vehicles, fuels
with a lower environmental impact and smarter
logistics, it is possible to achieve signifi cant
improvements. This project is part of Volvo
Group’s drive to take the lead in sustainable
transport solutions, says Olof Persson, Presi-
dent and CEO.
30% lower emissions
In the Climate-Smart City Distribution project,
which ended in spring 2013, Volvo Group
worked together with a number of partners to
improve the effi ciency of distribution operations
in central Gothenburg. Over the project’s three
years, climate-impacting emissions from the
almost 400 vehicles involved in the study
dropped by an average of 30% and in some
cases by up to 80%. By replacing conventional
diesel distribution trucks with vehicles using
three different technologies – renewable fuels
such as biodiesel, biogas and DME, hybrid tech-
nology, and methane-diesel fuel – the result
was a signifi cant reduction in emissions.
– The most diffi cult challenge, however, was
not to develop new fuels or new vehicle technol-
ogy but to improve the effi ciency of the trans-
port operations, relates Lars Mårtensson, Envi-
ronmental Director Volvo Trucks.
Success requires coordination
In downtown Gothenburg there are about 6,500
companies that need daily goods distribution
services, so with better coordination and more
effi cient utilization of existing vehicles both con-
gestion and emissions can be reduced even
further.
– In order to fully exploit the available poten-
tial, it’s not enough for haulage companies to
improve their logistics systems; it’s equally
important that transport purchasers become
better at coordinating their purchases, and here
there is a whole lot of room for improvement.
Opening up bus lanes to distribution traffi c
and undertaking more transportation opera-
tions when there is less traffi c on the roads are
other examples of relatively simple measures
that can deliver signifi cant environmental bene-
fi t s .
– We want to help develop tomorrow’s cities
and are actively looking for partnerships where
we can contribute our expertise and experience.
The road ahead goes via closer cooperation
between different actors and here we defi nitely
have a role to play, both locally and globally, says
Lars Mårtensson.
Facts about the Climate-Smart City
Distribution project
• The participants were GMV (Chalmers/Univer-
sity of Gothenburg), FordonsGas, Posten Logis-
tik, Preem, Renova, DB Schenker, the Swedish
Transport Administration, Volvo Trucks, Busi-
ness Region Göteborg, DHL, Fraktkedjan Väst
and Göteborgs Lastbilscentral
• The project was co-fi nanced by Region Västra
Götaland
• More information is available from the project
website: www.climatesmartcitydistribution.com
35