DHL Freight tests electric trucks


DHL Freight is electrifying its road freight business with the deployment of two of Daimler Trucks’ FUSO eCanter vehicles, which are to undergo a 24-month test phase in the Berlin metropolitan area. Wholly electric, the 7.5-ton FUSO eCanter is, in terms of Total Costs of Ownership, more cost-efficient than conventional diesel-driven vehicles. The vehicle has a range of about 100 km with a maximum commercial payload of 3.5 tons.

“The use of alternative drives, such as those built into the all-electric FUSO eCanter, plays an important role in reaching our Group-wide goal of reducing all logistics-related emissions to zero by the year 2050. DHL Freight is firmly committed to helping make this happen. By deploying the eCanter, we hope to reduce emissions from our forwarding business, as well as local air pollution emissions, which will, in turn, reduce our carbon footprint and that of our customers,” explains Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight.

In the coming months, the two trucks will be starting up at the Wustermark branch for local freight services in Berlin. Here, the trucks will mainly be used to deliver to businesses and private customers in the city centre. The trucks will be on the roads delivering less-than-container-load shipments weighing over 35 kg, such as electric or large home appliances, to private customers. DHL Freight will be using the eCanter both for pick-up and delivery, with the aim of reducing pollution for first and last mile services in the road transport business.

In addition to the two vehicles for DHL Freight, DHL Parcel has also officially taken over four electric trucks for the Berlin region. DHL Parcel will use the four trucks in the central downtown area of Berlin for supplying companies and major customers. The electric trucks are fully integrated into the operational process and replace the vehicles previously used. The aim of the test is to gain more information about the use of e-trucks for company deliveries.

Source: DPDHL Group