Completely emission-free road transport 

The widening of the A1 motorway between Apeldoorn - Twello is the first road construction project in the Netherlands to be carried out as emission-free as possible. Thanks to Millenaar & van Schaik Transport, among others, which has purchased ten electric dump trucks especially for this project and which will be permanently deployed here.

Millenaar & van Schaik Transport is by nature a progressive transporter and this has not gone unnoticed at Heijmans either. "In the transition from fossil to sustainable road transport, we are playing a pioneering role," says co-owner Dirk-Jan van Schaik. "For example, we frequently use HVO100 fuel and invest heavily in emission-free equipment. Three years ago we were approached by Heijmans for this project because they had gotten wind of our planned investment in hydrogen trucks. Eventually that 'order' was converted to ten electric trucks that have been permanently deployed on the project since 2023."

Smart planning

It involves ten dump trailers of 30 tons payload each with electrically powered Volvo FH 4×2 and 6×2 tractors. "We provide the transport together with Jan Bakker who also deploys ten of these units. And that goes to complete satisfaction," notes Dirk-Jan. "Better even than expected. Of course in the beginning it took some getting used to and finding the right way, because we've been doing the same trick for over a hundred years. With electric driving you have to reinvent that 'trick'. It just takes a bit more planning or rather, planning differently than with transportation with conventional internal combustion engines. You can drive electrically a maximum of 300 to 320 kilometers. But by smart planning, our drivers take a rest while charging and can drive all day that way." At night, the cars go on charge at two charging stations.

New series

Millenaar & van Schaik Transport transports soil, sand, mixing granulate, milling asphalt and new asphalt on the project, among other things. "In fact, the whole range of raw materials needed for the construction or widening of the road. And so this is done completely emission-free. It is nice to see that it is feasible and possible," says Dirk-Jan. Reason for Millenaar & van Schaik Transport to already take the next steps in their sustainability ambitions. "Since 2020 we have already been working completely paperless and now we are working on completely emission-free. We have 115 trucks, nineteen of which are now fully electric. Our goal is that at least 50% of the total fleet should be electric by 2027." And they are sure to succeed, because later this year they are investing in another batch of electric trucks.