DHL Express has announced the roll-out of 270 new electric Ford E Transit vans which will used as part of its last-mile fleet.
The new electric vehicles (EVs) joining DHL Express’ fleet come after it introduced 50 electric vans, last year.
By 2030, the business is committed to a 100% electric UK-wide courier fleet.
The 270 new vans will enter operation between May and September, servicing more than 30 different locations, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton Liverpool, Sheffield, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
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.”
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 and to ensure continued high service levels, says DHL Express.
Drivers are provided with 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, enabling an equivalent payload to be carried as in their diesel equivalents despite the additional weight of the electric powertrain.
DHL has also been focussed on developing its EV infrastructure to support the EV roll-out and, in addition to stand-alone charging points across the service centre network, 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 plug-in vehicles as the fleet grows in the coming years.
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.
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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
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