Sesé carries out first duotrailer test in Germany
The consortium of German and Spanish companies formed by Sesé; the Volkswagen Group; Schmitz Cargobull; the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA); Kombiverkehr and TÜV-Rheinland has completed the first duotrailer journey in Germany. The project, called EcoDuo, will last for one year and will carry out journeys between Spain and Germany combining road and rail freight transport. This is the first time such a vehicle has been on German roads.
The EcoDuo, operated by Sesé, will make the journey from the Volkswagen Group’s plant in Wolfsburg to the terminal in Lehrte, near Hannover, 70 kilometres away. From there, the semi-trailers will be transported by rail to Spain and, once at the transhipment station in Barcelona, the individual semi-trailers will be re-coupled to form the duo-trailer that Sesé will operate again until its destination.
Carlos Giner, director of Sesé’s Transport division, said that “Modular and intermodal solutions are a fundamental part of Sesé’s strategy to achieve a more sustainable and efficient supply chain. These vehicles have demonstrated great advantages in terms of reduced emissions, efficiency, safety and are a viable and immediate solution in reducing the environmental impact of freight transport. Being a pioneer in duotrailer travel, also in Germany, is the best starting point for future duotrailer operations in Europe.”
A Spanish success story transferred to Germany
After the experience acquired in Spain over six years of testing with duotrailers, and the recent homologation of these vehicles in December last year, Sesé is crossing borders to promote, together with the consortium partners, the future implementation of this modular vehicle in Germany. The EcoDuo is a vehicle combination in which two standard semi-trailers are powered by a single tractor unit, allowing the vehicle to carry twice as much freight; helping to reduce road congestion by reducing the number of trucks on the road and reducing fuel consumption.
Sesé currently has 60 duotrailer vehicles in its fleet, which enable it to increase the efficiency of journeys and reduce CO2 emissions by 30% and up to 90% when running on renewable fuel.
Official presentation at ‘IAA Transportation’ in Hannover
The EcoDuo project will be presented during the official ‘IAA Transportation 2024’ press conference in Hannover on 16 September and will be on display throughout the event, from 17 to 22 September.
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