August 27, 2024. Migros Eastern Switzerland owns 75 trucks to supply its 115 supermarkets between Graubünden and Schaffhausen with fresh produce every day. One third of these vehicles now run on fossil-free engines: the two existing hydrogen and three gas vehicles are joined by ten trucks, eight semi-trailers and two vehicles with interchangeable bodies powered by natural gas. They run on Swiss biogas and replace 20 diesel vehicles that have reached the end of their service life after ten years. The purchase of the 20 new units represents the largest fleet renewal in the history of Migros Eastern Switzerland, which was founded in 1998 from the merger of the two cooperatives St. Gallen and Winterthur/Schaffhausen.
“We are convinced that fossil-free engines are the future and we have had good experiences with our existing gas trucks. “That is why we chose this drive technology,” explains Daniel Balmer, Head of Transport Logistics at Migros Eastern Switzerland. With the new vehicles, the company can cover around 40% of its total kilometres without using fossil fuels.
Migros Eastern Switzerland has chosen Iveco Switzerland as its truck supplier. “We are proud to be able to achieve this important milestone with our vehicles. They are not only environmentally friendly, but also offer advantages in terms of economic efficiency. With the Iveco S-Way Natural Gas, we offer a solution to contribute to decarbonization,” emphasizes Riccardo Virga, Managing Director of Iveco (Switzerland) AG.
The new vehicle fleet consists of eight AS440S46 TP CNG gas semi-trailers with 460 hp, long-haul cab and comfort equipment, ten AD190S40 P CNG gas trucks with refrigerated body, 400 hp and reduced-size cab, and two AS260S46Y FS CM CNG. Each of the trucks is equipped with two 526-litre CNG tank packs, allowing a range of around 450 kilometres. To improve fuel consumption, they also feature automated transmissions including wear-free brakes (retarders) and eco-friendly features such as optimised gear shifting and eco-roll.
