The Clicks Group’s Montague Gardens distribution centre in Cape Town is gearing up to operate a 100% electric truck fleet by year-end as the retailer accelerates the electrification of its national distribution network.

Clicks’ third-party logistics partners have secured 30 Sany heavy-duty electric trucks, while the retailer has also invested more than R65-million in solar PV generation, battery energy storage and charging infrastructure across its network to support its transition from fossil fuels

The new trucks from the Chinese manufacturer offer 380 km to 400 km range, with DC fast-charging taking the trucks from 20% to 80% in 30 minutes. Payload is 11.5 t.

The expected distance each truck will travel each year is between 110 000 km and 120 000 km.

Clicks Group CEO Bertina Engelbrecht says the move to electric transport forms part of the retailer’s broader investment in its distribution network.

“As we expand our store and pharmacy network, we continue to strengthen our distribution capabilities to support that growth.

“We started moving towards renewables several years ago because, as an executive team, we see ourselves as stewards for future generations.

“There is also a strong business case for doing this,” she adds. “Electric trucks reduce our reliance on diesel and our emissions, while lowering the cost of operating our distribution network.”

The 30-strong truck fleet is expected to save around 780 000 ℓ of diesel, while also avoiding around 2 000 t of tailpipe CO2 emissions a year.

Yearly fuel savings are calculated at between R20-million and R25-million, together with a further R2-million to R3-million reduction in maintenance costs.

The 30 electric trucks will be rolled out across Clicks’ Cape Town and Centurion (Gauteng) distribution centres.

Montague Gardens is expected to operate a 100% electric truck fleet by the end of October.

The Cape Town fleet will deliver to roughly 290 stores, while the Centurion fleet will serve around 566 stores.

The Sany trucks can be charged using a combination of solar-generated energy, stored energy and grid power at both distribution centres.

The electric-truck rollout will extend to KwaZulu-Natal by September next year.

Clicks expects to have 68 electric trucks on the road by the end of next year, representing around 62% of its current fleet, which is well ahead of its original target of 30% electric by the end of 2029.

The group is also targeting a more than 90% electric truck fleet by September 2028.

Clicks already operates Maxus electric delivery vans, as well as the smaller three- wheel electric MellowVans, with plans to introduce electric bikes for omni-fulfilment.