Clicks to put 30 SANY electric trucks into daily operation as SA tests long-haul potential

Clicks Group is accelerating its move away from diesel trucks, with 30 SANY heavy-duty electric trucks being rolled out across its distribution network as the retailer targets a largely electric fleet within the next two years.

The first major milestone is in Cape Town, where the Clicks Montague Gardens distribution centre is expected to operate with a 100% electric truck fleet by the end of October 2026.

Clicks’ third-party logistics partners have secured the 30 SANY electric trucks, which have a claimed range of 380 km to 400 km, an 11.5-tonne payload and DC fast-charging capability that can take the battery from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes.

Each truck is expected to travel between 110,000 km and 120,000 km a year, putting the electric vehicles firmly into demanding commercial use rather than limited demonstration work.

The rollout comes as SANY electric trucks are also being put through a 4,000 km test on some of South Africa’s toughest freight routes, providing a real-world look at how battery-electric trucks cope with the country’s long distances, gradients and freight conditions.

For Clicks, however, the trucks will operate on established distribution routes. The Cape Town fleet will deliver to about 290 stores, while trucks operating from the Centurion distribution centre in Gauteng will serve approximately 566 stores.

Clicks says the 30 electric trucks are expected to save around 780,000 litres of diesel a year, while avoiding approximately 2,000 tonnes of tailpipe CO₂ emissions.

The retailer estimates annual fuel savings of between R20-million and R25-million, with maintenance costs expected to fall by a further R2-million to R3-million.

Clicks Group CEO Bertina Engelbrecht says the move makes environmental and business sense, with electric trucks reducing the company’s dependence on diesel while lowering operating costs.

The trucks will be charged using a combination of solar power, battery storage and grid electricity at the distribution centres. Clicks has invested more than R65-million in renewable energy, battery storage and charging infrastructure across its distribution network.

The electric rollout will extend to KwaZulu-Natal by September 2027.

Clicks expects to have 68 electric trucks on the road by the end of 2027, representing about 62% of its current fleet. The group is also targeting a fleet that is more than 90% electric by September 2028.

For South African truckers, the interesting part will be what happens when these trucks move beyond controlled distribution routes and into more demanding long-distance freight operations.

The combination of the Clicks rollout and SANY’s 4,000 km South African test could provide some of the clearest indications yet of where electric heavy trucks fit into the country’s freight industry.