Realising electric regional transport – Mertz’s electrification journey

Mertz uses three Scania battery-electric trucks in its operations, both R450 and P25. Typically, the vehicles begin their rotations between 06:00 and 06:30, departing from Malmö and heading to Lund – where trailers loaded by Alfa Laval await. The fleet supports a nearly identical schedule every weekday, with the trucks heading back around 15:30 for recharging.

To address infrastructure challenges, Mertz has partnered with Scania Charging Solutions and Erinion to establish a dedicated charging site. This installation exemplifies Scania’s holistic approach, offering tailored charging solutions as part of the complete package and removing a key barrier to seamless electrified operations.

Mertz drivers operate these vehicles daily on fixed routes, managing loading and dispatch operations directly to Alfa Laval facilities. The battery electric trucks are meeting performance expectations under conditions that closely resemble the realities of regional logistics – underscoring their viability for everyday commercial use.

With the attractive Total Cost of Ownership, which combines fuel savings, downtime reduction, and maintenance efficiency, Mertz is positioning itself at the forefront of sustainable transport solutions in Skåne.

This real-world deployment of Scania electric trucks illustrates how transport companies can integrate clean technology into operations without compromising service or reliability. Partnering with customers like Mertz accelerates the transition towards zero-emission logistics across Sweden.

Alfa Laval, a leader in heat transfer, separation and fluid handling, is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations. For Per A Sandberg, VP Operations and Head of Parts, Distribution and Logistics at Alfa Laval, this means looking closely at the company’s transport footprint: “As transport service buyers, we have a big responsibility – not only Alfa Laval, but everyone buying transport services. If we don’t put the requirements on sustainability and drive the need for improvement, then who will? We need to play our role and make our contribution to society.”

In this case, the chosen partner is Mertz, a transport company that collaborates with Scania to pioneer electrification in heavy transport. Mertz operates Scania battery-electric trucks on behalf of Alfa Laval.

“Sustainability has become a key evaluation criterion for us when selecting transport service providers,” says Sandberg. “In this context, Mertz – with its collaboration with Scania and the use of their electric trucks – came out on top. That’s why we chose to work with them.”

Alfa Laval has set an ambition to cut its transport-related CO₂ emissions by 50 percent, and electrification of road transport is one of the most effective ways to reach this target.

The trucks also show how electrification works in practice: operating on consistent, high-utilisation schedules, covering routes where charging can be integrated into the daily rhythm. 

This collaboration demonstrates the vital role of transport buyers in accelerating the shift. By setting strict sustainability requirements and rewarding providers who meet them, companies like Alfa Laval push the industry forward.

Scania’s role is to provide the technology and services that make this possible: reliable battery-electric trucks, charging solutions and the expertise to integrate electrification into daily operations. For Mertz, it means taking the operational lead, running electric vehicles day in and day out in demanding logistics flows. And for Alfa Laval, it means recognising that their choices as a transport buyer have a direct impact on the climate – and acting accordingly.

The partnership shows what can be achieved when sustainability is placed at the centre of decision-making. Alfa Laval, Mertz and Scania all share the ambition of scaling up electrified transport further, proving that collaboration across the value chain is essential to achieving fossil-free logistics.

“Together, within our organisation and across organisations, we can drive profound change – benefitting our customers, benefitting our partners, and above all benefitting the planet,” Sandberg concludes.