The Swiss solar industry leader Helion is renewing its commercial vehicle fleet and has converted it to all-electric vehicles. The world’s largest handover of ID. Buzz Cargo to around 100 Helion technicians – known as Helionauts – took place near the town of Solothurn in Switzerland on Monday morning.
Helion now operates one of the largest fleets of electric commercial vehicles in Switzerland with 100 all- electric vans from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV).
“We are delighted that Helion is committed to the ID. Buzz Cargo as a service vehicle and will also use self-generated solar power for carbon-neutral operation of its fleet. The ID. Buzz stands for sustainable mobility like no other commercial vehicle. Together with our partners, we are driving forward the energy transition in the commercial vehicle sector,” says Lars Krause, member of the Board of Management responsible for Sales and Marketing at VWCV, who handed over the vehicles to Helion together with representatives of the Swiss importer (AMAG).
“With the conversion of our commercial vehicle fleet to electric power, we are also driving forward the energy transition within the company. We Helionauts will tackle the corresponding challenges together. As of today, around 100 of our technicians from all over Switzerland are on the road electrically and are therefore also ambassadors for our vision and the energy transition,” says Noah Heynen, CEO of Helion, with conviction. Due to the short distances between the metropolitan areas and the dense fast charging network, electric vehicles are ideally suited for company fleets. Modern vehicles like the ID. Buzz Cargo also have a long range – the ID. Buzz Cargo has a range of up to 427 kilometres according to the WLTP standard, for example.
To ensure that day-to-day operations run smoothly from the outset, Helion set up an operational support group before the changeover in order to test the vehicles and identify possible challenges. Helion has invested in its charging infrastructure and expanded it massively at all its branches. The required infrastructure was also financed for Helionauts who have the option of charging at home. With an operating radius of usually around 100 kilometres, the public charging network is only used in exceptional cases – also thanks to the good range of the ID. Buzz Cargo.
According to Heynen, the most important thing is to always keep an eye on the long- term goal of succeeding with the energy transition and thus stopping climate change. “Helion plans to save around 300 tonnes of CO2 per year by switching to an electric fleet. In doing so, we are making our contribution to achieving the climate goals and assuming responsibility as a company,” he says. “In addition, customers benefit from even more sustainable solar systems, as Helion technicians are now all on the road with electric commercial vehicles. This further improves the carbon footprint of our products.”
