Kuehne+Nagel and battery manufacturer CATL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on battery logistics, transport electrification and emissions reduction. The partnership will initially focus on practical projects in Europe and Asia. These include the electrification of CATL’s transport flows in Europe and a battery-swapping pilot for heavy-duty trucks in China, which is expected to launch in 2026. Partnership targets battery and road logistics Under the agreement, Kuehne+Nagel and CATL will also explore cooperation in battery recycling and aftersales support, as well as energy storage and charging solutions for logistics facilities. The companies said these initiatives will support efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions across their logistics and transportation value chains. “Battery-electric vehicles are essential to decarbonising road freight,” said Søren Schmidt, Executive Vice President Road Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel. “Accelerating the transition requires solutions that are both high-performing and operationally viable.” Schmidt added that combining CATL’s battery expertise with Kuehne+Nagel’s logistics capabilities could support projects aimed at reducing emissions from both the company’s operations and those of its customers. Heavy-duty battery swapping pilot planned in China One of the first projects will involve a battery-swapping pilot for heavy-duty trucks in China using technology provided by Qiji. The two companies will also work on electrifying CATL transport flows in Europe, although no details have been provided on the number of vehicles or routes involved. The partnership comes as demand for batteries used in electric trucks continues to increase. According to the companies, demand for electric truck batteries rose by more than 75% in 2024, while global battery manufacturing capacity continues to expand. “As global leaders in our respective industries, CATL and Kuehne+Nagel share a commitment to acceleratin