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HVO boost as XPO Logistics expands use of sustainable biofuel  

XPO Logistics, a leading provider of freight transportation services, will take to the road in July for the 42nd year as the official transport partner of the Tour de France. When the winner of the legendary cycling competition is declared at the Champs-Élysées in Paris, an XPO team of 58 drivers will have transported more than 570 tons of goods over 3,328 kilometres in 42 trucks — and 18 of those trucks will be fuelled by biodegradable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

XPO first piloted biofuel at the 2021 Tour de France with a truck running on B100 fuel made from rapeseed oil. This year, the company expects its alternative-fuel fleet to use 49,000 litres of HVO and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85% per kilogram compared with diesel. The remaining XPO trucks deployed for the Tour all have Euro 6 engines, the cleanest diesel technology available.

A specially trained XPO team is responsible for the timely transport of equipment, safety barriers and other goods across the 21 stages of the race. XPO and the Tour de France share a strong commitment to safety and sustainability, highlighted by rigorous preparation in eco-driving techniques and Tour safety protocols.

Innovation in sustainable transport

Luis Gómez, president of XPO Logistics – Europe, said: “We’re delighted to provide the Tour de France with an unprecedented level of support this year, while expanding the scope of our eco-friendly operations. It is a privilege to partner with one of the greatest competitions in the world for more than four decades.”

Jean-Baptiste Durier, corporate social responsibility director for Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.), the event organiser, said: “The time-critical pace of the Tour de France leaves no room for error behind the scenes. XPO’s commitment to the Tour’s success has solved many challenges over the years that we have worked together. Our partnership is bringing more sustainable transport to the 2022 Tour de France, and we will continue to envision new ways to reduce environmental impact each year going forward.”

XPO has extensive experience as an official partner of world-class sporting events, including the IRONMAN triathlons in Europe, the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, the Tour de France à la Voile, the Evian Championship (golf), the Arctic Race of Norway (cycling), the Freeride World Tour (skiing and snowboarding), and the Coupe de France de Football (soccer), among other high-profile competitions.

Earlier this year the logistics company announced the extension of its partnership with Tesco plc with the two companies collaborating on developing a plan for carbon-neutral and carbon-negative transport solutions.