Adelholzener uses two MAN eTGX trucks in empty freight logistics.

The Bavarian mineral water brand Adelholzener has recently started using two electric trucks for its internal logistics. These two MAN eTGX 20.449 BL tractor units are primarily used to transport empty containers between various warehouses and the bottling plant, operating in a three-shift system.

The choice of the MAN eTGX, available since late 2024 for short distances within the production site in Adelholzener, Siegsdorf, and between warehouses within a 20-kilometer radius, may seem unusual at first glance. After all, the eTGX was originally developed as a long-distance model, offering a range of up to 570 kilometers without recharging when the maximum battery capacity of 534 kWh is selected.

Upon second thought, the explanation lies in Adelholzener’s operational profile: the mineral water company uses these two eTGX vehicles equipped with a slightly smaller battery of around 400 kWh in a three-shift operation—meaning around the clock. There is thus no time for slow overnight charging. Instead, Adelholzener needs electric trucks with batteries that can only be recharged during the usual driving breaks for truck drivers—typically 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving.

Adelholzener has also addressed the charging infrastructure issue in a clever manner: the production site already had a large photovoltaic system on its roofs. This is now supplemented by a new battery storage unit to buffer the generated electricity, along with a new charging station featuring two charging points and a total charging capacity of 400 kW.

"It is especially during the summer months that highly reliable vehicles are needed. The challenge lies in the fact that these vehicles can only be charged during drivers' breaks on weekdays. The eTGX have proven that this works seamlessly," says Maik Fischer, MAN’s sales representative from Traunstein, regarding Adelholzener’s decision.

The two new all-electric MAN eTGX replace two diesel trucks from MAN at Adelholzener. "With these new vehicles from our long-term partner MAN, Adelholzener Alpenquellen continues its transition toward electrification. They further reduce transportation emissions at the site and make internal shuttle traffic locally emission-free," says Peter Lachenmeir, Adelholzener’s manager.

Adelholzener operates in a Christian mission framework, as preserving creation is the guiding principle of its sole partner organization, the Catholic order of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Vincent de Paul. Therefore, 100 percent of the company’s profits are allocated to hospitals, nursing homes, and care facilities, as well as to supporting various social initiatives of the order.

In spring, another German mineral water brand, Vilsa, had already put its first electric trucks into use—three units of Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, a competitor to the eTGX. Unlike Adelholzener, Vilsa also uses its electric trucks for long-distance transportation. Meanwhile, MAN delivered two eTGX units to the Italian transport company Koinè in December 2025, which has since been using these electric trucks in the logistics operations of beverage manufacturer Sanpellegrino.