Electrifying Port-to-Store Logistics

IKEA has announced a new heavy road transport electrification initiative in Italy, partnering with Daimler Truck Italia and logistics provider LC3 Trasporti to reduce emissions from freight transport and accelerate the shift toward low-carbon logistics.

The project will introduce battery-electric heavy-duty trucks into IKEA’s Italian supply chain, covering container transport between ports and daily store deliveries. The rollout will begin with two electric vehicles and scale to more than ten trucks by the third quarter of 2026.

Deployment of Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 Trucks

At the core of the initiative is the deployment of the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, Daimler Truck’s flagship battery-electric long-haul vehicle. The trucks will be used for daily container movements to and from the ports of Port of Genoa and Port of La Spezia, as well as for store distribution across Italy.

Maurizio Pompei, CEO of Daimler Truck Italia, said the eActros 600 represents a major technological shift for freight transport, adding that its deployment at scale with IKEA and LC3 demonstrates that the energy transition in road logistics is already underway and commercially viable.

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Emissions Reduction and Operational Impact

The electrified transport program is scheduled to begin operations in October 2026. Once fully operational, IKEA expects the project to enable more than 1.2 million kilometers of zero-emissions driving per year, eliminating CO₂ emissions associated with these freight routes and significantly reducing the climate impact of road transport activities in Italy.

Beyond emissions, the initiative is also expected to reduce noise pollution and improve air quality along key logistics corridors, particularly around port areas and urban delivery routes.

Strategic Fit With IKEA’s Climate Goals

Ewelina Taylor, Global Transport Manager at Inter IKEA Group, described the initiative as a key step in reducing IKEA’s transportation climate footprint in Italy. She noted that the three-party collaboration allows IKEA, the vehicle manufacturer, and the logistics operator to jointly design an optimal setup that lowers total system costs while supporting cleaner and quieter transport.

Inter IKEA Group, which connects IKEA franchisees with product development and suppliers and aligns the group’s overall strategy, has been progressively increasing the share of zero-emission transport across markets as part of its broader climate transition plan.

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A Signal for Heavy Freight Electrification in Europe

The Italian project highlights the growing feasibility of battery-electric solutions for heavy freight and port logistics, sectors traditionally considered difficult to decarbonize. By combining vehicle technology, charging infrastructure planning, and operational redesign, the partnership illustrates how large retailers can play a catalytic role in accelerating zero-emission freight adoption across Europe’s logistics networks.

As regulatory pressure and fuel cost volatility continue to reshape freight transport economics, initiatives such as this may serve as reference models for electrifying long-haul and port-based logistics at scale.

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