DHL: helping to make road freight transport locally CO2-free
At the beginning of April, DHL Freight put its first all-electric tractor units from Mercedes-Benz Trucks into operation. The two eActros 300s will now be used for delivery and distribution transports at the Koblenz and Hagen sites.
The truck, which is stationed in Hagen, helps to make transports between the DHL branch and the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kassel, a Daimler Truck site, more sustainable. Thanks to the second eActros 300, customers in the Koblenz area will be supplied CO2-free. With a permissible gross vehicle weight of 19 tonnes, these are the first heavy-duty battery-electric tractors for DHL Freight in Germany. As part of the Group’s sustainability strategy, the share of electric vehicles in the delivery fleet is to be increased to 60% and the share of sustainable fuels within the DHL Group to over 30%.
“While we always stress that decarbonizing transportation requires a commitment from all stakeholders, it’s special when the customer itself provides the technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are delighted to partner with Mercedes-Benz Trucks, which will enable both sides to take a step forward in achieving their sustainability goals,” said Dr. Thomas Vogel, CEO DACH, UK & IE DHL Freight.
The vehicles are eActros 300 semitrailer tractors, each of which is equipped with two electric motors that deliver a peak output of up to 400 kW. The range is around 220 kilometres. The battery can be charged from 20% to 80% in one hour and 15 minutes with a charging power of up to 160 kW and depending on the charging infrastructure.
“Our all-electric eActros 300 semitrailer tractors are specially designed for regional distribution transport and can already take on numerous application profiles of conventional trucks. We are delighted that the eActros 300 is now also helping to make road freight transport locally CO2-free in our own factory delivery services,” says Oliver Berger, Manager for Network Strategy and Sustainability in Inbound Logistics at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
On the way to more sustainable road freight transport, DHL is testing and implementing various technological solutions, as no form of propulsion has yet finally established itself, especially on long-haul routes. For example, in addition to the all-electric semitrailer tractors, DHL Freight recently commissioned a hydrogen truck from the manufacturer Paul Nutzfahrzeuge. The aim is not only to identify the right drive mix, but also to shape the change towards more sustainability in industry.