Unilever and Union Coop Deploy 25-Ton Electric Truck in the UAE

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, Unilever and Union Coop expanded their supply chain partnership in the UAE, deploying a heavy-duty electric truck from Unilever's existing electric vehicle fleet on a new merchandise distribution route. The vehicle has entered actual operation, initially handling transportation from Unilever's warehouse to Union Coop's distribution center, with plans to later extend electric delivery to select Union Coop retail stores across the UAE.

The electric truck deployed for this initiative can carry 26 standard pallets per trip, with a maximum payload of approximately 25 tons and an average range of about 375 kilometers per charge. According to the operational estimates released by both parties, the new route is expected to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 8,900 liters annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 23.9 tons per year. The vehicle is primarily used for high-volume fast-moving consumer goods transportation, with the current route serving both daily distribution tasks and operational validation of the heavy-duty electric truck.

The two parties will leverage the actual distribution process to continuously evaluate charging schedules, route planning, vehicle loading, vehicle utilization, and transport service reliability, providing operational data for the future expansion of electric truck coverage across additional routes. Currently, publicly available information has not yet specified the list of stores for the next phase, the number of additional electric trucks, or the timeline for route expansion.

This new route builds on Unilever's previous electric logistics deployments in the Gulf region. The company activated its first electric van locally in 2023, and subsequently introduced heavy-duty electric trucks for logistics transportation in the UAE. According to data released by Unilever, the two previous electric vehicle operations have cumulatively reduced fuel usage by approximately 98,500 liters, corresponding to a reduction of approximately 257 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This collaboration with Union Coop adds a fixed distribution route to the existing fleet rather than procuring a new batch of electric trucks.

Unilever has also previously piloted rail freight solutions in the UAE and made adjustments to its regional supply chain network. The new route added through this partnership with Union Coop directly targets the road distribution segment between warehouses, distribution centers, and retail outlets, with vehicle operational data to be used to assess the real-world performance of electric transportation in routine fast-moving consumer goods distribution.