JLR switches HGV fleet to electric and biofuel vehicles

JLR is upgrading its HGV fleet with more than 220 new bio-fuel and electric vehicles, reducing its road freight emissions by 84%.

Working in collaboration with DHL, JLR expects to achieve a minimum CO2e saving of 85% per HGV, on goods moving between JLR’s manufacturing centres, suppliers, and retailers in the UK.

JLR has recently renewed its freight services contract with DHL for three years, continuing a 15-year collaboration.

The fleet will also use larger 15.6-metre trailers instead of the current 13.6-metre trailers, cutting weekly travel by more than 3,500 miles, reducing annual CO2e emissions by a further 254 tonnes. Once fully operational, this will reduce JLR’s overall road freight emissions by 84%, saving 8,433 tonnes of carbon annually. It would require approximately 350,000 trees to absorb the equivalent volume of CO2e.

Levent Yuksel, freight operations director at JLR, said: “Electrification and net zero emissions are central pillars of our Reimagine strategy to become a sustainable luxury business and we’re looking at every aspect of our supply chain to achieve that. By expanding our use of best-in class electric and alternative fuel vehicles here in the UK, we’re continuing our journey to improve air quality and reduce emissions.”

The project is part of JLR’s focus on building a sustainable industrial ecosystem consisting of clean energy, innovation through collaboration with suppliers and the introduction of advanced AI technology to enable efficient monitoring and management of the supply chain. This approach allows better business resilience, improved scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and contributes to a more stable and productive supply chain.

JLR aims to reduce its CO2e emissions by 46% across SBTi scope 1 and 2, and by 54% across its SBTi scope 3 by 2030, leading JLR to achieve carbon net zero by 2039.

Mike Bristow, ,managing director, manufacturing logistics, at DHL Supply Chain, said: ‘’We are delighted to be an essential partner in JLR’s accelerating transition to become a sustainable luxury business. Together we are championing alternative fuel solutions, demonstrating to industry peers that we can deliver carbon savings throughout supply chains without negatively impacting financial ambitions. ‘’