Spain now manufactures net zero emission trucks
Herko, founded in 2021, will begin mass production of zero-emission trucks in September at a plant in Zierbena (Vizcaya), representing an investment of approximately €15 million. The goal is to produce 136 units this year and manufacture 1,000 vehicles in three years.
At an event held at the AIC in Amorebieta (Vizcaya), Herko, a company based in the Basque Country and financed 100% by Spanish capital, was presented.
It will be dedicated to the manufacture of light zero-emission trucks powered by bioautogas. This is another step towards the goal of ending the use of traditional fuels in this type of vehicle.
An efficient and cost-effective solution The aim is to offer companies with fleet management needs the ‘most efficient and cost-effective’ sustainable solution for their last-mile delivery needs in cities and urban services.
During the event, this new manufacturer of net-zero emission trucks for inter-city transport, last-mile logistics and urban services unveiled its light truck, the Herko Bios 35, to the public for the first time.
The first European truck powered by bioautogas
This vehicle is the first manufactured in Europe with an engine powered entirely by bioautogas, an alternative fuel that, according to the company, reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 80% and other polluting gases and particles by 90%, generating a ‘practically neutral’ carbon footprint.
According to Herko officials, it is the ‘only solution’ available on the market that allows logistics companies to ‘comply with the EU's demanding environmental standards from today without sacrificing profitability or competitiveness’.
‘Zero-emission trucks have all the most stringent environmental certifications, such as ECO DGT and Euro VI Step E, which allows them to circulate without restrictions in cities' Low Emission Zones,’ they added.
Extensive order book for zero-emission trucks
The first light truck model already has 30 units pre-sold to customers including Urbaser and Cepsa, which will be delivered in the coming months. In addition, they have received purchase intentions for more than 650 vehicles, and have expressed their satisfaction with the reception among their customers, including those from other countries, although their market is initially Spain.
Speaking to Europa Press, Herko's CEO, Agustín Leal, explained that the first units have been manufactured at the BeGas facilities ‘statically and manually’ and that, starting in September, a mass production phase will begin at another location using an industrialised process.
Specifically, Herko will have a plant in Zierbena (Bizkaia), where it will begin manufacturing this model in September, following an investment of 15 million euros.
Herko Bios 35
In total, they expect to manufacture 136 Herko Bios 35 units this year, as the 30 mentioned above will be joined by the 100 that will be produced at this plant. The goal is for the company to manufacture 1,000 units in three years and, specifically, by 2024, production is estimated at 240 trucks, although the plant will have the capacity to produce 3,000 units per year, which they hope to achieve ‘soon’.
The truck offers a range equal to or greater than that of a traditional fuel-powered car (around 800 kilometres without refuelling) and has more than 860 refuelling points in Spain and more than 46,000 in the European Union.
The Herko Bios has a payload capacity of 1.5 tonnes. ‘It is a light truck, which is very important because it allows for much more payload than all its competitors, weighs less, and therefore we can carry more cargo,’ said Leal.
The company, which is in the process of hiring staff, will have 25 people on its payroll in March and, in total, expects to generate 70 direct jobs and another 150.
info@herkotrucks.com
+34 944 98 48 06
Polígono El Abra Industrial Parcela 2.1,1 48500, Abanto Zierbena, Biscay