Scania CV AB and digital road freight forwarder Sennder Technologies have formed Juna, a joint venture to introduce a pay-per-use model that provides European transport companies with access to electric truck solutions and guaranteed capacity.

By combining Sennder’s advanced technology with Scania’s electric truck offering, Juna aims to advance electric truck adoption, in line with the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association's 2020 joint declaration with climate scientists committing to a goal that "by 2040 all new commercial vehicles sold must be fossil free.”

Scania said by combining its electric trucks and services with Sennder’s technology for connecting small and medium carriers with big-name shippers, Juna is leveraging the strength of both companies to accelerate the decarbonization of European road freight logistics.

Pay-Per-Use Model

Scania said Juna is introducing a pay-per-use model for electric trucks that will effectively clear the way for large-scale adoption of electric trucks.

Scania said Juna removes the obstacles to electric truck adoption, such as financial challenges associated with high upfront costs, residual value, and technology risk, and provides transport companies with commercial predictability through guaranteed incomes.

“Given that e-trucks cost two to three times more than diesel trucks and that 70% of all trucks in Europe are owned by small carriers with fewer than 10 trucks, the combination of Juna’s pay-per-use offering and Sennder’s capacity utilization will effectively remove the barriers to adopting e-trucks,” said David Nothacker, CEO of Sennder.

Pilot Project Launched

Scania said Juna’s innovative model offers the full package, including premium electric vehicles, repair, maintenance, insurance, digital, and analytics services. In addition to usage-based fees and guaranteed utilization, through data analysis, Juna optimizes electrification strategies and simulates routes for electric truck suitability.

A pilot project has recently launched, according to Scania. The first customer is using an electric truck supplied by Juna charged with renewable energy and performing up to 10 lanes per week just like its diesel predecessor.

The truck is operating for a well-known fast moving consumer goods shipper in the region of Stuttgart, Germany, according to Scania. The project relies on existing public charging infrastructure, with per-kilometer costs comparable to current diesel charges.

The first truck alone, Scania said, has the potential to achieve an annual reduction of 93 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions.

The pilot’s scope will be expanded to include long-distance routes during 2024.