DPD to switch diesel HGVs to biofuel by 2023

DPD will switch its entire diesel HGV fleet to an advanced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, which is expected to reduce its CO2 emissions by 87%.

The Gd+ HVO fuel is a direct drop-in replacement for diesel, developed by Green Biofuels. It is the lowest-emission diesel replacement fuel available made from renewable feedstocks, and contains a specifically designed performance additive to ensure cleanliness and optimum combustion throughout the fuel system.

DPD will begin switching its 1,600 strong HGV fleet to Gd+ HVO immediately, and following a four-month trial, the company aims to convert 60% of its vehicles within 2022 - reducing emissions by 70,282 tonnes compared to 2021. The remaining vehicles will switch by the end of 2023. Gd+ HVO will be delivered directly to DPD's onsite tanks nationwide by existing bulk fuel supplier Essar.

Justin Pegg, chief operating officer at DPD, said: "This is a very significant step in the journey to decarbonising our entire fleet and achieving our aim of being the most sustainable parcel delivery company in the UK. 

“While we are well on the way to electrifying our delivery van fleet, the HGV linehaul fleet has always been a very different challenge. We have assessed a range of options and it is clear now that this is the most effective and practical way to make a real difference. While there may be different solutions in years to come, we must start this process now by making our existing vehicles significantly cleaner."

DPD plans to have more than 3,000 electric vehicles on the road in the UK this year and a total of 4,000 by 2023, delivering to 30 towns and cities on all-electric vehicles only.

The company has completed a series of engineering tests with the full-electric Volta Zero, as part of wider Beta Trials for the new, 16-tonne vehicle.

Olly Craughan, head of sustainability at DPD, added: "It was fantastic to get our hands on a Volta Zero and put it through its paces, with our own drivers alongside Volta Trucks' engineers.  We had the truck for five days and it is very impressive.  The Beta Trials are an opportunity for us to test the vehicle first-hand, while helping Volta Trucks see exactly how it performs in real-life scenarios and on typical routes.

"Working with the Volta Trucks team in the cab gave us a great insight into what they are doing and how the truck could fit into the fleet.  Increasingly we are operating in low or zero-emission zones in major cities, so with micro-depots and all-electric city centre van fleets we have already transformed our urban delivery strategy.  But there is a real need for bigger, green vehicles that can fit into that strategy."