Electric truck rental provider Juna aims to expand fleet to 200 vehicles by 2026

Juna is a joint venture founded in 2023 by Scania and Sennder, focusing on the rental of battery-electric trucks. Using a pay-per-use model, the start-up aims to facilitate the transition to electric trucks for transport companies. This approach eliminates high upfront costs for logistics providers and removes residual value risk from their balance sheets, this responsibility lies with Juna. Instead, the Berlin-based company offers access to Scania’s trucks and guaranteed transport volumes. Through this “predictable commercial usage”, the financial challenges of switching to electric trucks are expected to disappear—or at least be significantly reduced.

According to the company, electric trucks are currently available for rent in five major European markets, including Germany. The offering includes packages comprising electric vehicles, repairs, maintenance, insurance, digital and electrical services, as well as usage-based fees with guaranteed utilisation. Additionally, Juna uses data analysis to optimise electrification strategies in advance and simulate customer routes for electric vehicle suitability.

A very similar pay-per-use model for battery-electric and fuel cell trucks is offered by the Cologne-based company Hylane. However, as Hylane is not backed by a manufacturer like DEVK, it provides trucks from various brands under its rental model. The core idea of offsetting high acquisition costs through the pay-per-use concept remains the same.

Juna has now reported that its battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have covered over 1.6 million kilometres for customers within two years. “What began in early 2024 with initial routes in Germany has today evolved into an established transport network in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Poland,” states a press release shared with us via email. Juna currently collaborates with 20 customers and primarily deploys its electric trucks on clearly defined, high-utilisation routes where charging infrastructure and utilisation can be reliably planned.

Juna currently operates around 50 electric trucks and plans to expand its fleet to 200 vehicles by the end of 2026. However, the previously mentioned target of 5,000 units by 2030 is no longer referenced in the joint venture’s latest announcement.

“From the outset, our goal was not to replace every diesel route overnight but to create a robust and scalable foundation for electric freight transport,” said Matteo Oberto, Chief Executive Officer of Juna. “After two years, electric heavy-duty transport has moved far beyond individual pilot projects. We have established structured, repeatable processes. The next step is to systematically expand what already works.” To support this growth, Juna has recently strengthened its team, particularly in operations, technology, and commercial areas.

Source: Info via email