Freightliner and Zero, a breakthrough energy company that develops and manufactures whole-blend synthetic, non-biological fuels, have announced a partnership to achieve a fossil-free locomotive operation by 2040 and overall Net Zero by 2050, representing a major evolution for one of the world’s oldest, safest and most reliable forms of freight transport. To successfully meet these ambitious emissions targets, Freightliner is exploring alternatives to diesel, such as Zero’s carbon-neutral synthetic diesel, which will eliminate fossil-carbon emissions and improve air quality and environmental wellbeing.
Zero CEO Paddy Lowe said:
“The UK has a proud tradition of innovation in rail and energy, pioneering Trevithick’s world first, full-scale working railway steam locomotive in 1804. Steam locomotives powered the Industrial Revolution for more than a century, ushering in an era of unprecedented progress and prosperity; now, Freightliner is again revolutionising rail freight and logistics across its European fleet by integrating fossil-free fuel into the most efficient mode of freight transportation. With Zero’s drop-in synthetic fuel solution, Freightliner and its customers can continue using best-in-class rail infrastructure while maximising performance and minimising emissions. Zero is energised by the opportunities presented in this partnership, and we look forward to working with the great minds at Freightliner to shape the future of fossil-free rail in Europe and beyond.”
Tim Shoveller, CEO of Freightliner Group, UK /Europe, said:
“We are delighted to be building this partnership with Zero, which will form an essential part of Freightliner’s Sustainability Strategy and journey to Net Zero. The technology which Zero are developing is industry leading and has the capability of accelerating both our customers’ and our own journey to Net Zero. Rail freight is already a more sustainable alternative when compared to road, reducing carbon emissions by as much as 76%. By working with Zero, this alternative fuel has the potential to reduce carbon emissions much further, providing a very clear route to Net Zero. We are looking forward to working with Zero and building an even more sustainable future for rail freight.”
As one of the largest freight operators of electric trains in Europe, Freightliner is a known champion of sustainable logistics and has been pursuing solutions to decarbonise and fill gaps within its non-electric locomotive fleet. In addition to locomotives, Zero will support non-road mobile machinery and other vehicles.
Freightliner has set near-term targets for a 55 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2033, which will require approximately 26 million litres of alternative fuel across its asset population. This level of demand is reflected by Zero’s rapid scale-up of fuel production, including plans to build the world’s first commercial-scale synthetic fuel facility in the next two years.
Freightliner is the UK's largest maritime intermodal logistics operator, transporting containers from all major deep-sea ports to our national network of inland terminals, as well as a leading operator in the UK Heavy Haul rail freight market.
Freightliner is a subsidiary of the Freightliner Group Ltd, which has operations across Europe offering both Intermodal and Heavy Haul rail freight services seamlessly connecting European countries and the UK.
Zero Petroleum (“Zero”) is a breakthrough energy company that develops and manufactures whole-blend synthetic, non-biological fuels – gasoline, diesel and jet fuel – in a completely fossil-free process, using just carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from water.
Zero’s proprietary DirectFT® fuel synthesis process has demonstrated industry- leading fuel quality and production efficiency. Synthetic fuels (e-fuels, electrofuels, PtL, eSAF) are fully sustainable and circular in material, they retain the critical energy density of liquid fuels, and they can be manufactured at unlimited scale, therefore providing the only solution to the total de-fossilization of the majority of transport sectors including aviation, heavy transport, marine and agriculture.
Founded by Formula 1® legend Paddy Lowe, Zero has performance in its DNA and is leading change within the sport as an Official Partner of Stake F1® Team Kick Sauber. Zero recently opened the world’s first fully featured synthetic fuel plant (Plant Zero.1) near Oxford, UK and has plans to build a commercial-scale plant which is to begin production in 2026.
Freightliner is exhibiting at Multimodal 2024 on stand 6070
