DHL Express is rolling out a further 270 new electric vans, which will join its last-mile fleet.
The introduction of these new vans is in line with the firm’s commitment to having a 100% electric UK-wide courier fleet by 2030 and marks the next milestone in the EV roll-out. The business added 50 electric vans last year to operate out of sites across the UK following on its deployment of eLCVs in London earlier this year.
The 270 new vans will enter operation between May and September, servicing over 30 different locations, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Liverpool, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The zero-emission Ford E-Transits have a range of 140 miles and a payload of approximately 1,000kg, similar to the diesel vans they are replacing. The bodies have been customised for ease of use for drivers, who have also been provided training to ensure they are familiar with the new vehicles and confident in their capabilities.
Operating at 4.25 tonnes, the vehicles can be driven with a standard Category B licence under the driving licence derogation rules for alternatively fuelled vehicles. These regulations – extended by the Department for Transport last week – enable an equivalent payload to be carried as in their diesel equivalents despite the additional weight of the electric powertrain.
To support the EV roll-out, DHL has focused on developing its infrastructure. In addition to standalone charging points across the Service Centre network, it now operates 10 fully integrated EV-ready sites, with an additional three opening this spring, and 13 more planned later this year. The integrated charging infrastructure is scalable to allow for additional electric vehicles as the fleet grows in the coming years.
Richard Crook, director of fleet at DHL Express, said: “We’re thrilled to be sharing another update on our journey to a fully electric fleet. We’re extremely proud of the progress made so far in reducing the environmental impact of our fleet, and this next stage of roll-out is a positive step towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Deutsche Post DHL Group has announced plans to have more than 80,000 e-vehicles on the road and 60% of last mile delivery electrified by 2030. DHL Express is working towards this goal in the UK with the intention that every new courier vehicle purchased will be electric, resulting in 100% of the UK-wide courier fleet being electric by 2030.
