In collaboration with German and Spanish companies, the VDA has initiated the EcoDuo pilot project to optimise pre- and onward carriage in combined transport. Kombiverkehr is a project partner and supports the pilot operation at the MegaHub Lehrte terminal, ensuring smooth transport by rail between Hanover and Barcelona.
Based on the question of reducing the CO₂ footprint in the intermodal transport chain and the positive experiences of comparable projects in other EU countries, the VDA has initiated the EcoDuo pilot project in cooperation with German and Spanish companies to optimise pre- and onward carriage in combined transport (CT).
Combined transport plays a decisive role in the transport and environmental policy goal of shifting more goods from road to rail. Allerdings stellen der Vor- und Nachlauf auf der Straße im KV eine erhebliche CO₂-Quelle dar. The aim is therefore to make road-based pre-carriage and onward carriage more climate-friendly.
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As heavy commercial vehicles with alternative drive systems are not yet on the roads in large numbers, additional measures are recommended for a significant CO₂ reduction in the pre- and onward carriage of CT. In addition to the classic methods of vehicle optimisation, such as improved aerodynamics, low-rolling resistance tyres or weight reduction, there is also the option of transporting goods on the road in a more resource-efficient manner in the pre- and onward carriage with longer vehicle combinations.
The long truck concept, which has been approved in Germany since 2017, can only be loaded onto the railway to a limited extent due to the different trailer types. For CT, however, it is essential to use normal three-axle standard semi-trailers, as most of these are compatible with standard railway pocket wagons.
Challenges of access roads with roundabouts successfully mastered
Kombiverkehr Managing Director Heiko Krebs announced a key test result in the EcoDuo project on 16 September 2024 during a press event in the run-up to IAA TRANSPORTATION: the EcoDuo successfully mastered the challenges of access roads with roundabouts during an initial test drive during ongoing operations at the MegaHub Lehrte site. Damit hat sich die extralange Fahrzeugkombination mit zwei 13,65 Meter langen Standardtrailern zumindest an diesem Terminal bereits bewährt. During the one-year test run that is now starting, the semi-trailers of the Sesé haulage company will now run in real operation on the Kombiverkehr trains between Hanover and Barcelona.
We believe that this test result can be transferred to other terminals. This will create attractive transport alternatives for freight forwarders in the pre- and on-carriage to the CT terminals, making the intermodal transport chain even more efficient and climate-friendly.
Heiko Krebs, Managing Director Kombiverkehr KG
What is the EcoDuo?
A short-term reduction in CO₂ emissions before and after the journey is achieved in combined transport with an extra-long vehicle combination consisting of a tractor unit and two standard semi-trailers. Combined with an unsteered dolly (fifth wheel coupling to accommodate a semi-trailer), this results in a total length of 31.70 metres.
The total weight of this vehicle combination can be a maximum of 44 tonnes and is distributed over a total of ten axles. Die Achslasten liegen damit deutlich unter denen nach § 34 StVZO definierten höchstzulässigen Lasten. Thanks to the two standard semi-trailers, loading onto the railway is possible without restrictions and handling at the terminal is possible at any time without new technology.
The EcoDuo means significant relief for the environment and at the same time an increase in efficiency for the economy. Die CO₂-Emissionen pro Tonnenkilometer werden um 25% reduziert, ebenso der Gesamtverbrauch an Kraftstoff. In addition, the entire existing logistics infrastructure, e.g. in the loading and unloading area, can be utilised as before.
This EcoDuo vehicle combination is already in use in some EU member states such as Spain, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. In diesen Ländern wurden durchweg positive Erfahrungen mit dem EcoDuo gemacht.
Where is the EcoDuo travelling?
As part of the pilot project, at least one of these EcoDuo vehicle combinations will be used in a one-year trial for Volkswagen AG between the MegaHub Lehrte (Lower Saxony) and the Volkswagen production plant in Wolfsburg (Lower Saxony).
The EcoDuo is being provided by vehicle manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull for the pilot project, which is being led by the German Association of the Automotive Industry. The Volkswagen Group is providing the transport link for this pilot project. Until now, production containers have been transported between Wolfsburg and Spain exclusively by lorry. Now the global logistics service provider Sesé is driving the EcoDuo from the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg to the MegaHub Lehrte terminal near Hanover, 70 kilometres away, which is operated by Deutsche Umschlaggesellschaft Schiene-Straße and Kombiverkehr. From there, the semi-trailers are transported 1700 kilometres by rail to Spain in the Kombiverkehr KG network in a climate-friendly manner. At the transhipment station in Barcelona, the individual semi-trailers are coupled together again to form an EcoDuo combination and then driven by road, also through Sesé, to their destination. TÜV-Rheinland is supporting the pilot project from a road traffic law and scientific perspective.
Scientific support
A key component of the pilot project is the scientific support provided by TÜV Rheinland. As part of the project, the opportunities and risks of the EcoDuo vehicle combination will be evaluated on the basis of real operations, potential savings on the road and in terminal operations will be validated and the results summarised in a final report. The scientific study will also assess the impact of the requirements. The aim is to prove that the requirements for regular operations are neither ecologically nor economically justifiable and that road safety is nevertheless guaranteed.
Your contact at Kombiverkehr is Jan-Eric Woydich, Head of Operations, phone +49 69/79505-334, email jwoydich@kombiverkehr.de
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