European Clean Transport Network (ECTN) experiment succeeding, provides public authorities innovative, concrete solution to decarbonize long-distance truck transport

• Motorway relay stations provide fast, pragmatic response to decarbonize long-haul road freight transport
• First ECTN pilot launched 16 months covers more than 900 kilometers between Avignon and Lille, France, highlighting numerous environmental, social, economic benefits
• The ECTN model imagines better way to transport freight, including electric trucks
• 190 relay stations across Europe like ECTN’s solution would reduce GHG emissions [1] by 60 percent compared to current road transport [2] 
• ECTN solution can reach financially self-sufficiency through minimum number of terminals and routes, but public investment is necessary to build terminals

CEVA Logistics, ENGIE and Sanef, partners in the European Clean Transport Network (ECTN) Alliance, inaugurated today the first motorway relay station at the Sommesous service area (A26) to decarbonize long-distance road freight transport. The deployment of electric trucks in the ECTN pilot project between Avignon and Lille accelerates the decarbonization of road transport.

The ECTN Alliance’s concept comes from three major French groups—CEVA Logistics, energy company ENGIE and motorway operator Sanef—whose combined expertise provide a concrete response to the urgent need of decarbonizing road transport. The entire concept is based on reimagining the way goods are transported via long-distance trucking, rather than relying solely on technological innovation.  

Road segments, relay station terminal inspired by pony express mail relay stations

The ECTN concept is inspired by the same model leveraged by the historic pony express mail system, with relay stations for low-carbon, heavy goods vehicles directly located near the motorway network. Upon arrival at the relay station, drivers drop their trailers, which are then hooked up to a truck making the next segment’s journey. Electric trucks are recharged at the stations during the trailer transfer process. 

With this model, truck drivers no longer need to travel long distances and can make daily round-trip routes on defined road segments. Since November 2023, the terminal network concept has been tested on a 900-kilometer corridor between Avignon and Lille in France. This corridor is divided into four motorway segments and includes five relay stations in Avignon (Vaucluse), Lyon (Rhône), Dijon (Côte-d’Or), Sommesous (Marne) and Lille (Nord). Because of its simplicity, the system can be quickly deployed and easily replicated across the country.

Deploying electric trucks to accelerate decarbonization

Among the numerous ways to decarbonize road transport, switching to electric vehicles remains a priority. Electric vehicles are the obvious alternative for heavy goods vehicles, as described in the ADEME’s [3] 2050 transition scenarios. Using electric trucks on motorway segments of approximately 300 kilometers makes it possible to circumvent operational range constraints. The ECTN model allows for the maximized use of the trucks and their charging infrastructure, with the annual mileage travelled by the trucks nearly double compared to diesel trucks.

The ECTN concept is validated after rigorous project testing 

After sixteen months of testing the ECTN project in real conditions — with low-carbon heavy goods vehicles traveling over one million kilometers— the initial results prove the ECTN solution has numerous advantages.

• In terms of decarbonization, GHG emissions have been cut by 4x on the motorway section between Lille and Avignon. The primary loop between two relay stations allows for a single low-carbon truck to replace two traditional diesel trucks.
• Freight transit time is optimized. The standard transit time between Avignon and Lille is 23 hours and it has been reduced to 17 hours, which represents a 25% reduction in travel time.
• The principle of fixed daily round trip routes of only a few hundred kilometers with regular schedules improves the working conditions of truck drivers and contributes to the attractiveness of the truck driving profession—something important given current widespread driver shortages.
• Finally, with the installation of relay stations at existing service areas frequented by heavy goods vehicles, ECTN does not require additional land needs.

Deployment on a European scale

The ECTN solution can be quickly deployed and easily expanded, opening the prospect for deployment on a European scale (as indicated by the feasibility study carried out with Carbone 4). The results of this study validate the environmental, economic and social interest of the ECTN model as a true decarbonization accelerator in long-distance road transport.

The study highlights that a European network of 190 terminals on or near motorways would result in a charging station network spanning every 300 kilometers. The project would accelerate the transition from diesel to electric vehicles and significantly contribute to the GHG emission reduction targets set by the European Union.

A co-construction approach and the necessary support from the public authorities

While the ECTN concept is part of a co-construction approach with stakeholders (carriers, charging operators, energy companies, motorway concessionaires, truck drivers, truck manufacturers), its deployment on a larger scale will involve the electrification of vehicle fleets, as well as the deployment of charging infrastructure on major roadways. The financing and construction of the required relay stations will require the support of public authorities.

Already recognized for its innovative nature and adapted to the challenges of environmental and energy transition, ECTN is the winner of the first call for projects [b"Ecosystems of electric heavy vehicles aimed at accelerating decarbonization"[/b] launched by ADEME and winner of the4th edition of the Propulse program in the « sustainable transport" category of the Transport Innovation Agency. 

Olivier Storch, Deputy Managing Director, CEVA Logistics, said, “With urgent environmental challenges and energy transition deadlines, the logistics and transport sector must quickly find ways to reduce its carbon emissions and energy consumption. The positive results from the ECTN testing phase prove its relevance and provide a concrete response, deployable on a larger scale, to quickly and significantly decarbonize long-distance road freight transport. At CEVA, ’Acting for the Planet’ is one of the fundamental pillars of our CSR strategy, and we are convinced that more sustainable road transport requires innovative initiatives like ECTN.

“The ECTN concept combines the strengths of complementary players to test and deploy concrete and pragmatic ways to remove the barriers preventing road freight decarbonization. The experience of an energy provider like ENGIE contributes to the acceleration in electrifying road transport, thanks to our positive vision for energy transition and our strong expertise in ultra-fast, on-the-go charging,” said Clémence Fischer, Executive Vice President, Electric Mobility, ENGIE.
 
“With ECTN, we are proving that it is possible to decarbonize long-distance road freight transport in a simple and efficient way. By capitalizing on existing motorway infrastructure, without mobilizing additional land or needing heavy investments, we are taking concrete action to respond to the climate emergency. 70 percent of trips made by heavy goods vehicles are already made on motorways— this is where decarbonization must accelerate. This pragmatic model, designed to be deployed quickly and efficiently, paves the way for a sustainable energy transition, but requires support from public authorities to go even further.” said Arnaud Quémard, Chief Executive Officer, Sanef.
 

[1] Greenhouse Gas
[2] Source: Feasibility Study – Carbone 4 – April 2025
[3] ADEME : French Environment and Energy Management Agency.

CEVA Logistics, a world leader in third-party logistics, provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and providers all around the world. Headquartered in Marseille, France, CEVA Logistics offers a broad range of end-to-end, customized solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground and finished vehicle transport in 170 countries worldwide thanks to its approximately 110,000 employees at more than 1,500 facilities. With 2024 revenue of US$18.3 billion, CEVA Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions.

ENGIE est un acteur majeur de la transition énergétique dont la raison d’être est d’agir pour accélérer la transition vers une économie neutre en carbone. Avec 98 000 collaborateurs présents dans 30 pays, le Groupe couvre l’ensemble de la chaine de valeur de l’énergie, de la production à la vente, en passant par les infrastructures. ENGIE regroupe plusieurs activités complémentaires : la production d’électricité et de gaz renouvelables, les actifs de flexibilité et notamment les batteries, les réseaux de transport et de distribution de gaz et d’électricité, les infrastructures énergétiques locales (réseaux de chaleur et de froid) et la fourniture d’énergie aux clients particuliers, collectivités ou entreprises. Chaque année, ENGIE investit plus de 10 milliards d’euros pour faire avancer la transition énergétique et atteindre son propre objectif de net zéro carbone en 2045.

Chiffre d’affaires en 2024 : 73,8 milliards d’euros. Coté à Paris et Bruxelles (ENGI), le Groupe est représenté dans les principaux indices financiers (CAC 40, Euronext 100, FTSE Euro 100, MSCI Europe) et extra-financiers (DJSI World, Euronext Sustainable - Europe 120 / France 20, CAC 40 ESG, MSCI EMU ESG screened, MSCI EUROPE ESG Universal Select, Stoxx Europe 600 ESG-X).

A subsidiary of the Albertis Group, a global leader in highway management, the Sanef Group operates 1,807 km of highways, mainly in the Ile-de-France, Normandy, Northern, and Eastern regions of France.

The group’s 2,200 employees are mobilized every day, 24/7, to ensure safety and comfort for all their customers. As a partner of the State and the territories crossed by its networks, the Group is committed to promoting new mobility solutions, enhancing road safety, and combating climate change.
Main subsidiaries: Sapn and Big&Go
www.groupe.sanef.com